Talkin' Bout My Generation. AARP unveils the official name of its impending boomer publication, set to debut in March/April 2001. The launch of My Generation
will surely make more than a blip on the media radar screen, with a readership of 3.1 million AARP members in the 50-55 age range. (The title also will be available on
newsstands.) Betsy Carter, formerly editor-in-chief of New Woman, takes the helm as editor-in-chief for the new title, which promises to cover "everything from health and
money to raising children and learning to rollerblade."
Meanwhile, AARP's original title, Modern Maturity, is under the knife, enjoying a redesign geared toward making it more service-oriented. The revamped version will
sport two editions - one for 55-65 aged readers and one for those who are 65+. In the future, the senior title's coverage will fall into four quality of life areas: financial
planning, health and wellness, work/life responsibilities and personal enrichment. (AARP, 202/434-2560) Maximum Exposure. Pitching a service-oriented piece to
Maxim? Your content could end up on the radio, if it's cheeky enough. The notoriously naughty men's lifestyle magazine has joined forces with ABC Radio to launch "The
Maxim Minute," a weekly 60-second spot distributed on Fridays to the network's 3,000 news and news/talk affiliates, as well as subscribing alternative and classic rock stations.
Content is culled from the magazine, with recent spots tackling subjects such as how to repel telemarketers and what people really earn on the job. Maxim editor John Walsh
is doubling as scriptwriter, and ABC Radio director of news and entertainment Heidi Oringer is serving as executive producer. (Maxim, 212/302-2626)
Hot and Spicy. Watch for a Cooking Light spin-off in April, targeting the U.S. Hispanic market. ¡Gusto! will dish up recipes featuring authentic regional
and ethnic flavors, while echoing the flagship publication's commitment to healthy, low-fat alternatives and active lifestyles. The prototype issue features articles on classic
Puerto Rican rice dishes, salsa dancing and how to start a new life in a new town. Restaurant critic and food writer Viviana Carballo is editor and Billy Sims is managing editor.
Pitch story ideas to Sims at 205/877-5788 (phone), 205/877-6600 (fax) or 2100 Lakeshore Dr., Birmingham, AL 35209.