Name Games

While the Voice was building a name for itself with its Pike papers publicity, another one of Publisher Clay Felker's ventures was running into identity problems. Felker has been preparing to launch a biweekly magazine based in Los Angeles and modeled closely on his successful New York. Trouble is, someone else says he owns the title Felker wants to use: New West.

Felker's competition is Jerry Kobrin, 55, a one-time newsman who is vice president and public relations director of a firm that runs wildlife and amusement parks in California and Florida.

Both Kobrin and Felker claim rights to the New West name. New York Magazine Co. executives say they have been using it for advertising and promotion since last August. But Kobrin registered his New West Corp. with the California Department of Corporations in December--a move Felker's group neglected to make. Kobrin also rushed out a preview issue of his monthly New West in early February, thus edging out Felker, whose own test edition went on sale last week. Both plan regular publication in May.

Kobrin calls his New West a "feature newsmagazine," but few newsy features were evident in the 14-page preview issue; the cover story, a freelance profile of John Wayne, was originally written and published three years ago. An investment group claims to be prepared to invest $500,000 in the project--but Kobrin has yet to begin a subscription drive.

Heavy Borrowing. Felker, on the other hand, recently mailed 430,000 promotional pieces for his slick, full-color New York spin-off--partly through a sample cover celebrating "The California Woman"--and claims an impressive return of 30,000 or so charter subscribers. His 20-page New West test issue, which is trial-priced at both 500 and 750 (v. $1 for Kobrin's magazine), is sprightly, but heavy on pieces borrowed from New York. To launch New West, Felker plans to spend $2 million, and aims for initial circulation of 125,000.

Some publishing insiders wonder whether Kobrin and his group started their New West mainly to see if Felker was eager enough about his expansion plans to buy them out. And there is a certain ambiguity about Kobrin's challenge to his New York rivals: "We'll give these carpetbaggers a run for their money."

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