Martha Stewart's company is doomed

[Lauri]

Martha Stewart's company is doomed
The hard truth is that demand for Martha Stewart in all forms -- magazines, books, TV shows, Web sites and merchandise -- has passed its peak.


The company has hardly impressed Wall Street since. The stock, which traded at more than $30 a share in 2005, today is at about $8.

Last year, the magazine portion of the company laid off dozens of employees and shut down Blueprint after a year and a half of publishing. Someone had to go.

Talk back: Do you think the party's over for Martha Stewart?

But while Lyne's fall was as predictable as a soufflé's in an earthquake, the fundamental problems at the company were almost certainly beyond her control -- or any CEO's.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO, news, msgs) (we'll call it MSLO, even though the stock ticker is MSO) is a textbook intersection of two media business lessons that should have been learned in the 1990s.

the rest is here... http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/MarthaStewartsCompanyIsDoomed.aspx


and I would agree.. Martha and Oprah are just not all that important any more. We all know how to cook now, we all get the decorating thing. The grasshoppers surpassed their masters... we dont need them anymore 

but, being that this is America, some new trendy someone is just waiting to be the next "It Woman" ..

[DixieBelle]

Agree. Before the internet was so commonplace, Martha and Oprah ruled on daytime TV. People bought their books/products/etc...

And KMart is going down in flames. They are taking her brand with them.

You're right. I think we've reached a saturation point. Plus, families are busier and who's got time to harvest your own wheat to grind for homemade bread?

Although I do think a lot of what Martha did (in the early days) was important. She single-handedly paved the way for every HGTV or Food Network show. I can remember watching her years and years ago and thinking how neat it would be to have the time, energy and money to live that way. Plus, I admire her tenacity. I can't believe she's pushing 70! I'm over Martha, The Okra, Rachel Ray, etc...though. I'd rather surf recipe websites than sit through Razorblade Rachel Ray's show.

[bijou]

I have never bought a Martha Stewart magazine but I have browsed through some in a shop.  They struck me, rather like many home decor magazines and recipe books, as a benign form of pornography.  They show you an almost  unattainable form of effortless loveliness that you can aspire to but never achieve without immense effort.  I once bought Real Simple magazine and fantasised about simplifying and reorganising my home, until I realised that it would all be too much work for a weekend.

I don't know enough US celebs to work out who will be the next big thing, but isn't Suze Orman quite popular?

[Lord Undies]

I like Martha Stewart.  Her shows are perfect for napping, and I don't mean that in a bad way.  Her soothing reserve is very peaceful.

[Chris_]

vs.



Hmmm

[Jim]

good, never liked her and if Oprah is history too, even better !

[Lauri]

I have never bought a Martha Stewart magazine but I have browsed through some in a shop.  They struck me, rather like many home decor magazines and recipe books, as a benign form of pornography.  They show you an almost  unattainable form of effortless loveliness that you can aspire to but never achieve without immense effort.  I once bought Real Simple magazine and fantasised about simplifying and reorganising my home, until I realised that it would all be too much work for a weekend.

I don't know enough US celebs to work out who will be the next big thing, but isn't Suze Orman quite popular?

Suze Orman has a niche... not sure how popular she is though.

I used to love Martha - she's so common sensical. But then I saw one of her houses where every single piece of furniture was the same color. Gun powder gray. She even had her patio furniture professionally sprayed and sealed the same color. All her outside light fixtures... I mean *everything* .. it was so bland and bizarre, I thought, "she's reached the end of her ideas apparently."

Martha is far too matchy-matchy for me... I like warmth and color and the ability for kids and dogs to be around. Martha's homes look like grandkids would never be allowed inside.. 

[bijou]

I have never bought a Martha Stewart magazine but I have browsed through some in a shop.  They struck me, rather like many home decor magazines and recipe books, as a benign form of pornography.  They show you an almost  unattainable form of effortless loveliness that you can aspire to but never achieve without immense effort.  I once bought Real Simple magazine and fantasised about simplifying and reorganising my home, until I realised that it would all be too much work for a weekend.

I don't know enough US celebs to work out who will be the next big thing, but isn't Suze Orman quite popular?

Suze Orman has a niche... not sure how popular she is though.

I used to love Martha - she's so common sensical. But then I saw one of her houses where every single piece of furniture was the same color. Gun powder gray. She even had her patio furniture professionally sprayed and sealed the same color. All her outside light fixtures... I mean *everything* .. it was so bland and bizarre, I thought, "she's reached the end of her ideas apparently."

Martha is far too matchy-matchy for me... I like warmth and color and the ability for kids and dogs to be around. Martha's homes look like grandkids would never be allowed inside.. 

Martha probably has a spare house in the grounds where she can entertain relatives without despoiling her 'real' house.  Either that or she makes them change into appropriate clothing and sterilises them on the way in.

[Lord Undies]

I have never bought a Martha Stewart magazine but I have browsed through some in a shop.  They struck me, rather like many home decor magazines and recipe books, as a benign form of pornography.  They show you an almost  unattainable form of effortless loveliness that you can aspire to but never achieve without immense effort.  I once bought Real Simple magazine and fantasised about simplifying and reorganising my home, until I realised that it would all be too much work for a weekend.

I don't know enough US celebs to work out who will be the next big thing, but isn't Suze Orman quite popular?

Suze Orman has a niche... not sure how popular she is though.

I used to love Martha - she's so common sensical. But then I saw one of her houses where every single piece of furniture was the same color. Gun powder gray. She even had her patio furniture professionally sprayed and sealed the same color. All her outside light fixtures... I mean *everything* .. it was so bland and bizarre, I thought, "she's reached the end of her ideas apparently."

Martha is far too matchy-matchy for me... I like warmth and color and the ability for kids and dogs to be around. Martha's homes look like grandkids would never be allowed inside.. 

She has more than one house.  I'm sure her unofficial residence is more casual.  As for her official "home", the woman has an image to promote.  Give her a break.  What would her public think if Martha Stewart's house looked like the Conners of Langford, Ill.?

[DixieBelle]

^LOL! Martha does own several homes. And she's really into "getting it right historically" which would probably explain the decor. I believe a few of the homes are really old New England estates. I must admit to drooling over one of them. That woman knows what she wants and how to get it. Or at least how to beat other people into doing it for her

[Flame]

I'll admit it....I like watching Martha's show...not that I could or would implement even 3% of what she does, but it's still fun to watch.   I much prefer her over a bunch of other crap that's on (The View comes to mind).

[DixieBelle]

the made for TV movie starring Cybill Sheppard as Martha is a must see!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqdzB8wGdc4[/youtube]

[Miss Mia]

When I didn't go into work until the afternoon, I almost always watched the Martha Stewart show.  I admit it, I liked it.  She does show some interesting things and ideas. 

I never watch Oprah.  She's too "blah" and the last time I did watch it a few years ago, it seems like there was a total of 23-30 minutes of actual show and the rest was commercials!