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As Sunset magazine struggles, we look back at the California icon
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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

Dec 4, 2018
Listen 16:45
As Sunset magazine struggles, we look back at the California icon
According to the Los Angeles Times, the 120 year old Western living guide Sunset Magazine is in trouble.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 120 year old Western living guide Sunset Magazine is in trouble.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 120 year old Western living guide Sunset Magazine is in trouble.

Various editors have quit in the last few months, while some writers are still awaiting on paychecks.

The lifestyle magazine was started by Southern Pacific Railroad to push westward travel. At its peak, it was a platform for decor, travel writing and literary investigations, aiming to take on the role of teaching people how to live in the space of the West.

We look back at the significance and history of Sunset Magazine and its role in the development of the American West, as well as its current struggle to survive as a glossy in the digital age.

Guests:

Bill Deverell, professor of history and director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West at the University of Southern California

Ken Doctor, media analyst who focuses on the transformation of consumer media in the digital age; he is the author of “Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get” (St. Martin’s Press, 2010)

Credits
Host, AirTalk
Host, All Things Considered, AirTalk Friday
Senior Producer, AirTalk & FilmWeek
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Associate Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Apprentice News Clerk, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, FilmWeek