min magazine 2008 The Grill: Bonnie Fuller
Friday, November 7, 2008

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The Grill
Bonnie Fuller 

Bonnie Fuller was born to build brands. After defining the formula for both celebrity and women’s magazines, the 52-year-old Canadian who reinvented American publishing in the last 20 years is now taking on her most welcome challenge—building herself as a brand. By launching the anticipated Bonnie Fuller Media, the magazine doyenne is jumping into the digital space pumps first and pronouncing that she’s got more than 101 Sexy Reasons why she’s just as excited about this next stage of her career as she was about the stunning accomplishments of her past.

After all your success, are you still motivated to explore and conquer new possibilities?

I have always relished exploring new possibilities, whether it was taking over the helm of Cosmo from Helen Gurley Brown or reinventing STAR magazine as a weekly. Now that I have my own company, the new possibility is what we can create in this digital universe.

What excites you about digital media?
There is nothing more exciting than watching my loyal readers discover a new way to receive information, and the digital platform we are building is really exciting.

Do you feel that this new venture demonstrates that you have creative expressions you’ve yet to reveal?
I actually feel my audience is embracing the digital world as well as magazines, and through this two-way interactive conversation, there are so many deeper opportunities to deliver my audience “addictive content.” I’m really excited. The best is yet to come.

What do you think your most important legacy has been in the world of celebrity journalism?
I am far from my legacy point…yet.

What’s the biggest misconception about you?
I am not mean. I work hard and demand excellence in myself and those around me.

People haven’t seen much of you since you left AMI. Why is that?
I haven’t had a lot of free time on my hands, as I am in start-up mode. I’ve enjoyed the summer with my kids and getting them ready for school in the fall.

Lately you’ve taken a serious tone with your Huffington Post blogs and become a sort of advocate for responsibility in celebrity journalism…why is that?
Because just having a URL instead of a masthead isn’t a license to not report information responsibly.

What are the biggest challenges facing that category?
The biggest challenge facing celebrity journalism or any online journalism is delivering a clear and concise voice to an audience—that is why the Perez Hiltons of the world have been successful. A strong editorial voice always
wins.

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