Magazines are popular information sources for teens and already may have played a significant role in educating teenagers about AIDS. Many AIDS activists and health educators believed coverage of Magic Johnson's November 1991 announcement that he had contracted AIDS through heterosexual sex might help to convince teenagers about their AIDS risk. A content analysis was conducted of coverage of Johnson's disclosure and of AIDS in general in 43 magazine articles published in the December 1991 and January and February 1992 issues of magazines (including "Sports Illustrated,""The Sporting News" and "Jet") popular with teenage readers. The analysis showed that few articles included comprehensive information about AIDS. Few articles stressed that teenagers are at risk of contracting HIV or provided practical information, such as how to negotiate condom use with a partner, that might help sexually active teenagers reduce their risks of contracting the disease. (One table of data is included. Contains 41 references.) (Author/RS)