Surfer
Not politically aligned — surf lifestyle/sports outlet
Background
Surfer (originally Surfer Magazine) was founded in 1960 by John Severson as a print magazine and became one of the most influential publications in surf culture, chronicling the sport's growth from the 1960s onward. It changed hands several times over the decades, including a sale to American Media (publisher of tabloids like the National Enquirer) in 2019 as part of the Adventure Sports Network group of titles. Print production ended around 2020 amid industry-wide declines in surf-media advertising and circulation, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the brand went digital-only. The Arena Group later acquired Adventure Sports Network, folding Surfer alongside other outdoor titles like Powder into its broader digital-media portfolio, which also includes Men's Journal, TheStreet, and Parade. Today Surfer functions as a niche lifestyle and sports brand focused on surf culture, athletes, gear, and travel, with no general political news desk. Its editorial focus and ownership by a diversified digital-media holding company mean it has essentially no stance, critical or supportive, toward the Trump administration or U.S. politics generally.
Sources
- Surfer (magazine) - Wikipedia
- American Media buys Surfer Magazine
- Surfer Magazine closes after 60 years
- New SURFER Editor-in-Chief on the Go-Forward Strategy Under New Ownership
- The Arena Group and I-dentity Group Unveil the 'Travel Adventure Network'
Profile compiled 2026-09-28; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.