Word Magazine

This article is about the technology e-zine. For the music magazine, see The Word (magazine).

Word Magazine (1995–2000) was an influential online magazine.

History

Launched in 1995 by Carey Earle, Tom Livaccari and Dan Pelson, Word Magazine created original stories, interviews, games, applications, music, interactive objects and art, and community spaces. Word published new content daily, and each story was treated as a unique interface design experiment. Word was also a pioneer in the use of online advertising and was the first website to integrate "microsites" into brand advertising online.

Word's editorial team was originally led by Vibe Magazine founding editor Jonathan Van Meter and creative director Jaime Levy. Marisa Bowe took over as Editor-in-Chief prior to the site's June 1995 launch and Yoshi Sodeoka became Creative Director in early 1996. Daron Murphy was a founding senior editor. Jason Mohr was a senior designer. Later senior editors included Sabin Streeter and Rose Kernochan. Streeter, Bowe, Murphy, and Kernochan later co-edited a book of interviews with Americans about their jobs--inspired by Studs Terkel's Working, called Gig.

From 1998, Word featured a chatterbot named Fred the Webmate. In 2000, Word staff developed the turn-based online strategy game Sissyfight 2000.

Word won awards from I.D. Magazine and Print Magazine, among others and was placed in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Walker Art Center and the Museum of the Moving Image.

Word was originally owned by Icon CMT until its sale in April 1998 to Zapata Corporation. Zapata closed Word.com in August, 2000.

External links

• The 10 websites that changed the world
• Screenshots of Word
• Video: Marisa Bowe, Editor of Word.com discusses the website