Big Green Umbrella Media Inc., the Johnston-based publisher of Cityview and Iowa Living magazines, announced to its advertisers today that those publications will “go dark” and suspend publishing for the next six weeks. 

In a message addressed to advertisers, Big Green Umbrella President and Publisher Shane Goodman said the company currently faces “more questions than answers.” 

“We depend on people coming together for events, concerts, food, drink, lectures, movies, festivals and more, and we rely on advertising from small business to pay our bills and, hopefully, show a profit,” Goodman wrote. “When most of all of this goes away at once, we are left without options.” Goodman said after the six-week hiatus, the company “will then redetermine our next steps.” 

Goodman in his message said the company plans to continue to publish the Lake Panorama Times newspaper and its Adviser publications, “at least for now.” There was no word on whether staff had been laid off, or if digital editions of the magazines will continue. 

“We cherish loyal advertisers like you, and we will miss being part of your lives during this difficult time,” Goodman wrote. “But let there be no doubt, we will be back, and we look forward to the time when we can share that with each of you.” 

The Business Record reached out to Goodman by email and phone for more information; he could not immediately be reached. 

Cityview was launched in 1992 by Connie Wimer, chairman of Business Publications Corp., who in 2004 sold the publication to Gary Gerlach and Michael Gartner, both former Des Moines Register executives. Goodman became the company’s majority stock owner in 2006 and in 2015 bought out Gartner to become the sole owner.