Science and Technology Dimensions and Dimensions Science et Technologie made their debuts in January after a National Research Council publication was turned over to Science and Technologie Mondex Inc. of Montreal. Publication was suspended after the May issue.
The government publication, begun in 1969 and split in two in 1983, had a free circulation of 80,000 in English and 30,000 in French. The government was losing $400,000 a year ($300,000 U.S.) when it sold the magazine.
Bernard Levy, publisher and editor-in-chief of the privatized magazine, said 22,000 copies of the magazine were sold in English and 11,000 in French, but only about 7,000 of these were subscriptions sales. "We were too optimistic about the marketing," he said.
Last summer the NRC agreed to lend Levy up to $540,000, interest free, over five years. Levy added $100,000 of his own money. If the magazine failed, the NRC loan would be forgiven. ...
