Magazines Sell With Colbert

By Zach Jevne

Stephen Colbert dons speed-skating tights and a tie on the upcoming Sports Illustrated cover. Why is Colbert on the cover? A couple of reasons. His show, The Colbert Report, and its fans are sponsoring the U.S. Olympic speed-skating and his face on the cover has proven to boost sales.

Colbert has appeared on Newsweek, Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, New York and Wired in the past few years. According to research, he boosted newsstand sales for four of those magazines, including a 38 percent increase for Wired.

In October, the primary sponsor of U.S. Speedskating declared bankruptcy. Facing a $300,000 funding shortfall, "Colbert Nation" picked up the team by taking contributions from fans. So far, more than $250,000 has been raised.

Many Americans believe that the Colbert Report is replacing "traditional" news outlets and is helping America stay informed on current events.

(Photo Credit: Newsweek)

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