So Salon magazine is on the financial ropes. But Salon’s publisher says the online mag’s finances are not unusual for a magazine. ” ‘Being a public company has been a huge burden. How long does the average magazine take to reach profitability? Sports Illustrated — 12 years. USA Today — 10 years.’ But these publications were developed inside corporations big enough to hide the years of losses in a dark corner of the accounting department. Salon does not have that luxury. Every expenditure drops directly to the bottom line, where it’s paraded past the investment community.”