Did social media give Business 2.0 a reprieve? I believe so. I think social media (in this case Facebook, blogging and Techmeme) played an important role as an amplifier (see my chronology of events here). Thanks to everyone who joined the Facebook group and posted comments in the Wall. Thanks to every blogger and journalist out there who relayed the news. Without you, Business 2.0 would not be publishing its October issue. Thanks again!!!

I’m not quite as confident that we saved the magazine – if indeed it is saved at all. What we did do was show how, through social networking, a small group of people can shine an awfully bright spotlight on an issue and bring the media to bear on it.

I updated my previous post with this, but I’ll repeat here for those whose feed-readers have already devoured it:

I spoke to Business 2.0 Editor-In-Chief Josh Quittner this evening and asked him directly about the magazine’s short-term future. His reply:

We’re currently working on the October issue. As far as I know, we’ll be publishing it.

I sincerely hope that November and December, etc. will arrive in my mailbox as well – perhaps under new ownership?

Related posts:

1. Did the Web Save a Magazine?
2. The Genesis of a Web Strategy Blog
3. MESH08 Day One (part 3)

Valleywag is reporting

Business 2.0 Magazine is certainly not out of the woods yet as the reprieve is intended only to keep the magazine operating while Time assesses the many suitors that have come calling looking to buy the magazine.

It is difficult to know how much of an impact our little Facebook group had in this turn of events. The group was never intended to be an emotional appeal to save the magazine – rather, a window into the magazine’s most loyal and influential readers and subscribers. I can only assume that it had some effect on those potential buyers though I can’t take credit, obviously, for the buyers themselves. According to the original NYT article, Editor-in-Chief Josh Quittner had already been out actively shopping the magazine around.

It will be interesting indeed to watch as this story unfolds further… Who will buy it? Will it change? Can someone else do better?

UPDATE: I’ve spoken with Business 2.0 EIC Josh Quittner who would only say:

We’re currently working on the October issue. As far as I know, we’ll be publishing it.

Best news I’ve had all week. :)

Related posts:

1. The Genesis of a Web Strategy Blog
2. Apparently I’m a Pessimist
3. MESH08 Day One (part 3)