495 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
wemagazine.com
WE M
edia began nearly three years ago as a reaction to an apparent lack of resources and coverage of lifestyle issues in the media for the 54 million Americans with disabilities. Co-founder Alex Spinelli says although the magazine, launched in March 1997, targets the disabled community and its families, content appeals to a broad audience. For example, WE reviews mainstream products, and evaluates restaurants based on the quality of their food as well as how well they accommodate the disabled. A story on professional golfer Casey Martin might be pages away from travel pieces that focus on accommodations for people with disabilities. Last month WE Media launched Wemedia.com to complement the magazine. The site is a rich resource of job leads, articles and information for this community.
Sections
HEROES AND VILLAINS
An expose of the companies and people who are doing positive or negative things for the disabled community.
DINING OUT
A review of the best restaurants, including their accommodations for people with disabilities.
SPORTS
Sports events for contestants with disabilities.
TRAVEL
Reviews travel destinations with a disabled individual's perspective on travel in a particular city.
BOOKS & MOVIES
As the name implies - but topics are not limited to entertainment with a disability theme.
Editors/Lead Time
Editor-in-Chief Charles Riley prefers email pitches at [email protected]. Most of WE magazine's staffers are members of the disabled community, including a 9-year old with cerebral palsey who reviews products and toys for kids with disabilities.
You can also mail product samples and press releases to WE magazine, 495 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10012.
The magazine is published six times per year with a circulation of 150,000 and is available in bookstores.
Pitch Tips
Avoid pitches that use the word "inspiration" and the usual cliches associated with success stories about people with disabilities. Riley is interested in pure human interest content. Stay clear of anything that rings like "The Little Engine That Could."
Product pitches might include household utensils engineered for disabled people, or toys for kids with disabilities - but products don't have to be limited to those catering to disabled folks.
Comments
With the exception of product reviews and coverage of celebrity charity events, most magazine coverage is specifically targeted to the disabled community.
Readers include people with disabilities, as well as their family members and friends. If your company has a good rapport with the community, your pitch stands a better chance of getting noticed.
The editors of WE keep a critical eye on how the marketplace serves their readers. While most articles are not about people with disabilities, the editors make sure their readers' critical interests are addressed. Take, for instance, a line from the magazine's positive review of Le Cirque restaurant in New York: "The vibrantly colored chairs with one-sided armrests were perfect for discrete handholding between courses..."