Sears' custom publication, Nuestra Gente (monthly, circ. 865,000, Spanish) has ceased distribution, raising questions over the magazine's fate.
Last June, Nuestra Gente parted company with longtime ad-sales partner Independent Publishers Representative (IPR), with whom they had worked with for the preceding seven years.
Rochelle Mangold of Sears Event Marketing Department would not confirm that the custom publication had in fact been discontinued, however. In a written statement she said: “…it is Sears' policy not to comment on its marketing plans. Additionally, a final decision has not been made regarding Nuestra Gente, and as such it would not be accurate to describe the publication as ‘discontinued.'”
Nonetheless the magazine has stopped circulating leaving some to wonder whether the distinction between non-circulation and discontinuation is purely semantic.