Goodbye, Hakai

December 30, 2024 12:54 AM

As environmental journalists, we play a role in that conversation, reflecting not just the facts but the humanity within them. When someone asked me what my overall takeaway is after a decade of editing a science magazine focused on oceans and coastlines, I thought first about our humanity, not our beat. One of the deeper meanings of humanity is recognizing our shared responsibility to each other and to nature itself. It’s this compassion—this humaneness—that the Hakai team has carried into our stories ... Over the past 10 years, I believe this team of imperfect people with big hearts has honored you, our audience, and the world we all love. And we’ll keep doing that in 2025 and beyond at biographic.com. from So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish [Hakai]
posted by chavenet (6 comments total)

I have enjoyed Hakai quite a bit over the years, and I hope they continue their audio feed of stories in their new venue. The Hakai editorial is pretty vague about what’s going on, the biographic link much clearer on the practical reasons and implications (tl;dr declining revenues for both publications led to a merger).
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:54 AM on December 30 [3 favorites]

Hakai Magazine's site will be kept intact, according to this July 2024 statement by the foundation that funded it:

Although the Foundation will no longer be publishing new content on the magazine website after 2024, the Tula Foundation will support and maintain it as a free public archive, where its legacy of outstanding feature journalism will be available to everyone.

I will miss the depth and frequency of their coverage of coastal PNW / BC life. Sorry to see only senior staff are currently guaranteed employment at the new endeavour.
posted by to wound the autumnal city at 5:41 AM on December 30 [4 favorites]

As I understand it, Hakai, including the magazine, which is quite a small part of their overall work, has basically been funded by one very wealthy couple (who made their final donation to their foundation this year). Reading between the lines, it looks like they have decided they no longer want to fund the magazine.

The magazine has published some great work over the years.
posted by ssg at 10:50 AM on December 30 [5 favorites]

Awww… I really liked Hakai. One of these days I'll need to take a deep dive into their archive.
posted by Kattullus at 2:17 PM on December 30

Perhaps the best coverage of the marine world that has ever been achieved. Very sad to see it end. I hope the Biographic venture can be successful; I know the Cal Academy has had its own budget struggles and layoffs. I donated. Seems like a lot of outlets I love aren't thriving these days 😔
posted by dantheclamman at 3:41 PM on December 30 [1 favorite]

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posted by Headfullofair at 6:40 PM on December 30