Alaska Magazine, the iconic publication that has showcased the state’s beauty, culture, and wilderness since 1935, has quietly stopped accepting new subscriptions, leaving longtime readers puzzled and industry observers wondering if another major print outlet is preparing to shift its model.
The magazine, owned by parent company Morris Communications since 1995, has long been a staple for readers in the Lower 48 who dream of the Last Frontier, as well as for Alaskans who enjoy seeing their state presented with pride: wildlife photo essays, fishing and hunting features, recipes, outdoor adventures, and stories from around the communities that define Alaska.
But sometime around August, the publication’s subscription portal was changed to block all new sign-ups. The only explanation offered so far is a brief message that it is “not taking new subscriptions.” No accompanying announcement, financial disclosure, or policy rationale has been provided by MCC Magazines, a division of Morris Communications.
The Alaska Story has placed a call with Publisher John Lunn to ask for clarification, including whether the company is preparing to move to a digital-only format or is making operational adjustments that may affect its print product. As with many legacy magazines, the cost of print production and distribution has sharply increased in recent years, leading some long-running titles to shutter their print editions or convert entirely to digital.
Alaska Magazine previously offered both print and digital subscription options, including a one-year, 10-issue plan for about $24. For many readers, that modest cost bought not only entertainment but also a tangible connection to the state, especially appreciated by old-timers who find that connection difficult to replicate in a digital environment.
While existing subscribers appear to still be receiving issues, the freeze on new subscriptions signals that internal changes may be underway. While Morris Communications has not yet responded to our inquiry, we will update readers as soon as the publisher provides an explanation for the unexpected halt of subscriptions to this 90-year-old publication, which started in Ketchikan as the Alaska Sportsman.
4 thoughts on “Alaska Magazine no longer accepting new subscriptions”
Alaska magazine went woke and I quit reading it a long, long time ago.
Anyone who grew up reading the magazine during the Bob Henning era, this writer included, knew this day was coming sooner rather than later. Under Morris, the magazine has aggressively pursued style over substance and forsaken original writing and reporting in favor of using Wikipedia as its guide for facts to report and topics to cover. The most blatant example was the time they reported that Juneau is more populous than Fairbanks, based solely on a Census Bureau annual population estimate within corporate limits. Everyone should know this, but if you don’t, here’s the apples and oranges involved. Juneau, a unified municipality, has corporate limits which include the entirety of its urban and suburban areas plus thousands of square miles of wilderness. Fairbanks, a standard city, contains about 45 square miles. Urban and suburban areas surround city limits on all sides. Did they really intend to cater to people who can’t understand this and only take the numbers at face value? Magazines that make it today, even if you can’t personally stand their ideological slant, are at least smart enough to not insult the readers’ intelligence.
I was a long time subscriber and forgot to send in my renewal card, so called within a month of the renewal date to renew and was told they were no longer accepting new subscriptions. I explained I was not a new subscriber but renewing but the customer service repeated the same ” not renewing subscriptions at this time.”
I even emailed them and got the same response.
Guess it’s like writing a politician; you get a canned response. Sucks to be treated like this.
If it’s any consolation (probably not), I’m an Alaska-based writer who has contributed 150 articles to the magazines over the years, and I’m being equally kept in the dark. When I pitched new ideas for assignments, I was first told that the magazine would be discontinued by the end of 2026. Now, I’m told that things are on hold, that the mag will likely continue, either in digital form or with reduced content / number of pages. They also may reduce the trim size to save on printing costs. Hopefully, they’ll stay in business, since the magazine is an Alaskan institution, and I’ve enjoyed writing for them over the years.