Misplaced Pages

Start was a weekly popular and entertainment magazine targeting men, in circulation between 1969 and 1991 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. The magazine is known for its unique position in a Socialist country featuring both erotic and pornographic content and quality articles on current affairs with detailed analyses.

History and profile

Start was established in 1969 as a successor to the Moto magazin. The first issue of Start appeared in January that year. It was headquartered in Zagreb and was published by Vjesnik which was a well-known publishing house in the country. The first issue described it as "a magazine for every family, and for each of our citizens." However, it was also added in the same issue that the magazine content included all topics "that interests a modern man." The magazine came out weekly.

In the initial phase Start was designed based on Playboy, Lui and Penthouse. During this period its cover pages featured nude photographs of women, one of which was the French actress Maria Schneider. Following the change of its editor-in-chief in 1973 Start was redesigned becoming a political and cultural magazine which was modeled on the German magazine Stern.

Start contained erotic and pornographic materials in addition to the critical and comprehensive analyses on current affairs, science and art. The latter became dominant from 1973. One of its most significant sections was the interviews which featured both interviews with Yugoslavian leading figures and translations of the interviews from foreign magazines. It also published literary works most which were the examples of a genre called "jeans-prose". Later its focus was exclusively on current affairs. Start frequently published materials from Ms., an American magazine, and contained articles on feminism most of which were written by Jasenka Kodrnja and Maja Miles. Vesna Kesić and Slavenka Drakulić were other contributors of the magazine.

Mladen Pleša was appointed editor-in-chief of Start in 1980 and then, the magazine began to target young readers featuring articles on rock music, modern art and fashion.

As of 1984 Start sold 200,000 copies half of which were bought by the Serbians. The magazine enjoyed higher levels of circulation during its run. Start folded in 1991.

References

1. ^ Dunja Majstorović (2023). "Windows Towards the West: Exploring the Emergence of Popular Magazines in Yugoslavia in the 1960s and Early 1970s". Journal of Communication Inquiry. 47 (1): 16. doi:10.1177/01968599221081120.
2. ^ Biljana Žikić (2010). "Dissidents liked pretty girls: nudity, pornography and quality press in socialism". Medijska istraživanja. 16 (1): 56–58.
3. Milica Stojanovic (2 December 2020). "Home of Old Magazine Stories Keeps Yugoslavia's Memory Bright". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
4. ^ Zsófia Lóránd (2018). The Feminist Challenge to the Socialist State in Yugoslavia. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 140, 146–148. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-78223-2_4. ISBN 978-3-319-78223-2.
5. "Yugoslavia Opens Drive on Naughty Magazines". The New York Times. 23 June 1975. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
6. David Binder (9 February 1984). "As Taboos Fall, Press in Yugoslavia Turns Bold". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2024.

• 1969 establishments in Yugoslavia
• 1991 disestablishments in Yugoslavia
• Defunct communist magazines
• Defunct magazines published in Yugoslavia
• Defunct men's magazines
• Former state media
• Magazines established in 1969
• Magazines disestablished in 1991
• Magazines published in Zagreb
• Weekly news magazines