December 9, 2024
LEDs Magazine Shuts Down After 20-Year Run
Above: LEDs Magazine covers over the years. Image credits: LEDs Magazine
Third lighting industry publication shuts down in 2024 amid industry media shifts
It’s hard to imagine the LED Revolution without the thoughtful coverage and insights LEDs Magazine has provided during the past 20 years.
After two decades as a leading voice in the LED technology and lighting industries, LEDs Magazine has announced its closure. The publication, owned by Endeavor Business Media, will cease operations on December 16, 2024. The decision marks the end of a pioneering era in lighting and technology trade journalism, leaving professionals in lighting, research, and technology reflecting on the legacy of this once-indispensable resource.
Founded in 2004 by Tim Whitaker, LEDs Magazine emerged as a digital platform offering in-depth coverage of light-emitting diode (LED) technologies. Its early success led to its acquisition by PennWell Corporation in 2007, a move that strengthened its position through integration with PennWell’s Strategies Unlimited research and the Strategies in Light conference. In 2019, the publication became part of Endeavor Business Media after PennWell was acquired by Clarion Events and later divested.
Throughout its history, LEDs Magazine chronicled the rapid growth of LED technology, including the transition from niche markets like signage, displays and automotive lighting to mainstream applications such as architectural and general illumination. Under the editorial leadership of Maury Wright and later Carrie Meadows, the publication provided readers with objective reporting, technical analysis, and valuable industry insights.
Meadows, reflecting on the closure, shared on LinkedIn, “It has been our pleasure to connect engineers, researchers, and industry experts over these last 20 years. While this chapter is ending, the incredible opportunities, developments, and individuals we’ve covered will continue to inspire progress.”
Tributes and Legacy
News of the closure prompted an outpouring of social media tributes from industry professionals. Bob Steele, a longtime contributor and Strategies in Light co-chair, noted, “LEDs Magazine has been a great resource for the LED and lighting industries over the past 20 years. Its absence will be keenly felt by many professionals.”
Beatrice Witzgall a contributor to LEDs Magazine and Head of Software for Siemens’ SI Buildings US remarked, “Years ago, the innovation in the [LED] market was so exciting. LEDs Magazine was the leading knowledge source around LEDs.”
Many also highlighted the magazine’s role as a repository of industry history. Brad Koerner, a former executive with Philips Lighting lamented, “Such a shame that the whole website will be lost — it feels like a huge historical repository for the history of the lighting industry will be lost.”
The Strategies in Light Connection
A key pillar of LEDs Magazine’s influence was its connection to the Strategies in Light conference. Launched in 2000, the conference became a pivotal event for the LED sector, drawing researchers, engineers, and business leaders. By its 20th iteration in 2019, the event had grown to include over 5,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors. The conference mirrored the evolution of the LED market, from niche applications to its dominance in general lighting and connected technologies.
Notably, February 2020 marked the last in-person gathering of the event. A single virtual iteration followed, after which the conference ceased operations entirely. Steele noted in LEDs Magazine in 2019, “Although Strategies in Light has evolved and changed in many ways over the past 20 years, the emphasis has always been to provide an excellent program that stands out in the industry.”
LightSPEC West
While LEDs Magazine served as a foundation for Strategies in Light, it also played a supporting role in Endeavor Business Media's LightSPEC West.
LightSPEC West, a relatively new trade show in the lighting industry, succeeded the bi-annual Light Show West, which faced financial difficulties during the pandemic. After acquiring the assets of Light Show West, Endeavor Business Media launched LightSPEC West with its inaugural event in September 2022, in Los Angeles, California.
The event evolved with varying levels of support. Its second edition, a two-day event held in April 2024 at the Anaheim Convention Center, drew fewer than 700 attendees and just over 50 exhibitors.
Endeavor’s Role and Challenges
The closure of LEDs Magazine follows a series of strategic shifts by Endeavor Business Media. In early 2024, the publication moved exclusively to digital content delivery, with its March/April issue marking the final print edition. Additionally, Endeavor shuttered LightSPEC Magazine, formerly known as Architectural SSL, earlier this year, merging its content into Architectural Products.
The challenges faced by LEDs Magazine were emblematic of broader shifts in media and industry. As Meadows explained, “It has been more difficult to maintain quality on an increasingly tight budget. The competition for marketing dollars to support the brand has increased substantially, while growing our audience was becoming more challenging.”
The closure also comes on the heels of the passing of longtime editor-in-chief Maury Wright in June 2024. Wright, who stepped down from his role in 2022, was widely respected for his expertise and integrity. His editorial vision shaped LEDs Magazine’s reputation for delivering insightful and authoritative content, particularly in the LED components and OEM channels.
Meadows, in a tribute, wrote, “Over his career, he built valued relationships across the industry, mentored colleagues who flourished under his guidance, and consistently brought energy, enthusiasm, and support to his work. He is deeply missed."
The evolving trade media landscape
Meadows will continue with Endeavor Business Media as Editor-in-Chief of i+s, a position she assumed earlier in 2024. Formerly known as Interiors+Sources, i+s is a media brand focused on interior design, offering content on topics such as sustainability, social impact and innovative space design.
LEDs Magazine is the third lighting publication to shutter in 2024, marking a significant shift in the industry’s media landscape. Earlier this year, lightED, launched by tED magazine in 2017 during the height of the LED boom, was replaced by electrifiED, a new platform focusing on electrification and supply chain innovation. Additionally, LightSPEC, which evolved from Architectural SSL and was also owned by Endeavor Business Media, merged into Architectural Products. These closures and transformations reflect the ongoing consolidation and redefinition of lighting-focused media.
While LEDs Magazine is reaching its end, its impact will endure in the innovations it documented and the professionals it inspired. As the lighting industry continues to evolve, the magazine’s archives and contributions stand as a testament to the transformative power of LEDs and the dedication of those who brought their stories to light.
