Pittsburgh Magazine

The magazine was purchased in 1970 by WQED, which used the magazine as part of its pledge drives.[4] By 1978, it was still losing money, but it had gained tax-exempt status through WQED.[4] Allies of Richard Mellon Scaife, the owner of the rival Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Pittsburgher, investigated the financial status, with a possible eye toward challenging the tax-exempt status.[4] In 1983, the magazine was drawn into a battle between staff members regarding WQED's involvement with Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign.[5] In 1990, the magazine was the subject of a libel lawsuit brought by two police officers after publishing an article about the disappearance of a Pittsburgh man; the suit was settled for $75,000.[6]

Amid significant staff turnover, former employees suggested that the growth of the magazine was stunted by its relationship with the financially distressed WQED.[7] In October 1993, Sewickley native Christopher E. Fletcher was hired as editor.[8] The magazine underwent a significant format re-design in 1994.[9]

In 2009, the magazine was purchased by WiesnerMedia, a suburban Denver-based publishing company.[10] A short time later, the offices were moved out of WQED's Oakland headquarters to new facilities on Washington's Landing.[10]

In January 2010, the magazine launched its World Wide Web home: PittsburghMagazine.com, which includes daily and weekly blogs and e-media.[11]

In 2016, the magazine launched a partnership with GiveGab for an annual charity-fundraising drive called Give Big Pittsburgh.[12] It is a one-day event on Giving Tuesday, the annual American day of giving that follows Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. In 2017, Give Big Pittsburgh raised $1.5 million in a single day, topped in 2018 at $1.7 million, $1.6 million in 2019 and $2.7 million in 2020.[13][14]

• Official website