State (magazine)
State.ie (formerly State Magazine) is an Irish website and formerly a monthly music magazine, which launched in April 2008 and ceased to print in January 2009 having published a total of ten issues. The magazine continues online and was voted Best Music Site in 2008 and Best Web Publication in 2010 in the Irish Web Awards. Originally the concept of the magazine involved a hard copy of which there was a charge to purchase, however after six issues it was decided to make the magazine's content free both online and in print. The first issue, April 2008, appeared on Irish shelves on 6 March 2008 and featured Michael Stipe of R.E.M. on the cover. This immediately garnered comparisons between the new magazine's similarities with Hot Press who featured Stipe on their cover at the same time, a move widely thought to be an attempt by Hot Press to stifle State's status as a serious 'alternative' to the more established local magazine. At a price of €5.50, State charged €2 more than Hot Press.
