COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbus Monthly magazine will introduce its readers to a fresh design and new content beginning with its March issue.  The magazine's website, www.ColumbusMonthly.com, was also refreshed and updated.

The redesign is the first significant one in the magazine's nearly 40-year history and took a year of research that included focus groups with readers and non-readers. The March issue features three covers that reflect "The Story of US," focused on the changing culture and diversity of the city. Each cover features a different face of diversity.

As a result of the research, new Columbus Monthly features that have been added or refined are:

• Arch City, dedicated to people, ideas and conversations and issues;
• Explore, stories about the best in arts, culture, sports and entertainment;
• a renewed Dining section, featuring Short Order, a casual, one-visit review of a little-known or underappreciated eatery and Buzzed offering the latest trends in beer, wine and cocktails in the city; and
• City Quotient, a question-and-answer column all about Columbus.

"From the moment we started talking about this project more than a year ago, we knew we wanted to do so much more with Columbus Monthly," reflected Kristen Schmidt, Columbus Monthly Editor. "We stripped the magazine down to the basics: What we do, who we do it for and how we convey our message. We're so proud of the results: a magazine that not only looks like the Columbus we love but that also sounds and feels like it. I love that the new design is specific to Columbus—this magazine wouldn't quite work in any other city."

Columbus Monthly has played an important part in recording the city's history and engaging the community on important matters since its first issue in June of 1975. The first cover story questioned whether a new crop of preservationists and urban pioneers could turn around Victorian Village, which was then a run-down neighborhood of once-beautiful old houses. Since then, Columbus Monthly has covered everything from business, politics and in-depth profiles of newsmakersto the best arts, entertainment and dining in the city. The magazine initiated the annual "BEST of Columbus" feature, which continues to be among the most popular issues.

"In the 40 years since Columbus Monthly was founded, Columbus has changed tremendously, growing into a vibrant, cosmopolitan city, and our goal of the redesign is to reflect this growth," said Katie Wolfe Lloyd, Vice President & Publisher, Dispatch Magazines. "The new Columbus Monthly is the contemporary magazine Columbus readers need to connect with an energetic, exciting city that's looking forward to a bigger and better future."

ABOUT THE DISPATCH PRINTING COMPANY

The Dispatch Printing Company, a privately held, family-owned media organization based in Columbus, OH, owns a variety of print, broadcast and digital news and information companies.  The company flagship is The Columbus Dispatch.  An affiliate of The Dispatch Printing Company, Dispatch Magazines, produces and publishes alive!, Capital Style, Crave, Columbus Monthly, Columbus CEO, Columbus Bride, in addition to Crave's Annual Restaurant Guide, CityGuide, and Best Driving Vacations. Other affiliates include WBNS-10TV, RadiOhio Inc, which owns 97.1 The Fan, 1460 ESPN Columbus, and  the Ohio New Network, ThisWeek Community Newspapers,  Dispatch Digital (with more than two dozen Central Ohio websites), Columbus Parent, Radio Sound Network, OnTarget  Marketing/TheBAG, and a show division that produces The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show, 10TV Health & Fitness Show, The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show—Holiday Edition and Columbus Bride: The Show in Columbus, Ohio, and WTHR-TV  in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Contact: Sarah Irvin Clark, 614-296-4057

SOURCE Columbus Monthly

RELATED LINKShttp://www.columbusmonthly.com