On behalf of the parent company, ABC Leisure Magazines of ABC Publishing, William (Bill) Tynan explained that they were going to "blend lengthy classical features into its highly acclaimed Musical America," a slim magazine sewn into the centerfold of selected issues of High Fidelity and available only by subscription.
Tynan said that High Fidelity's average reader "no longer prefers the lengthy classical music articles that have appeared as part of the previous format.
[3] James Gordon Keough (born 1946), who was appointed president of Cowles Media in 1987, made the decision to put Opus up for sale.
[4] In June 1988, Cowles Media sold Opus to Capital Cities/ABC — which was still the parent of High Fidelity as well as Musical America.
Patricia Reilly, who formerly edited Musical America's Recordings in Review, became the associate editor of the new Opus section.
[5] The words "incorporating Opus" added to Musical America's masthead was, according to Allan Kozinn, somewhat misleading, given the resignation of its core staff and editors.