Digital publishing news for October 10, 2013
The Guardian is reporting that The Financial Times is consolidating to a single global print edition in the first half of 2014. Roy Greenslade writes, “The Financial Times is to institute path-breaking changes to the production of its printed newspaper that appear to be the penultimate step towards becoming a digital-only publication.” The paper will refocus so that its print product will be derived from web content. This seems like a whole paradigm shift for the paper. Financial Times editor Lionel Barber stated, “Journalists will publish stories to meet peak viewing times on the web rather than old print deadlines.” A true digital first strategy for this 125 year old publications.
Magazine Launches Outpace Closures
Good news: there were more magazines launched in the first nine months of 2013 than there were closures. FOLIO’s Arti Patel writes, “Magazine publishers have launched more titles than they shuttered in the first nine months of 2013, debuting 138 titles and closing only 45 according to MediaFinder.com, an online database that tracks U.S. and Canadian periodicals.” Food and regional interest titles topped the list of new launches. The b-to-b arena didn’t fair too well. Patel writes, “In the b-to-b magazine sector, 17 titles debuted and 11 shuttered in 2013 as compared to 25 launches and 12 closures over the same period a year ago.”
[text_ad]
Land Rover Partners With Outside
Brand Channel is reporting that Outside has partnered with Land Rover. Mark J. Miller writes, “Outside magazine readers are exactly the target audience for Land Rover: adventurous sorts with some discretionary income. Instead of just purchasing some ads in the publication and on its digital offerings, Land Rover has teamed up with the magazine to create a series of branded content across the publication’s properties, including custom video content.” This campaign will be featured on Outsides YouTube channel as well as on Land Rovers site and in other print outlets.
Wired Gets Shopping
Mobile Commerce Daily is reporting that Wired is testing a new e-commerce solution from MasterCard that lets users shop from their digital editions. Lauren Johnson writes, “The technology-focused magazine is rolling out shoppable content within the November issue. Although publishers continue to see an increasing amount of mobile traffic, few publishers such as Wired are tying unique commerce experiences to digital editions. Wired is the first magazine to partner with MasterCard to offer the MasterPass-powered technology within the November iPad edition.” While browsing the digital editions of Wired users are promted with calls to actions to shop. Johnson adds, ” For example, an image of a tea pot from Blomus Sencha in an article can be clicked on to be instantly bought. Consumers can then buy products from Rakuten.com, which is the first retail partner to use the technology.” This technology from MasterCard is called ShopThis! We’ll all be able to see how this integrates on October 15th.
Special Projects Director Assigned at Cosmo
Fish Bowl NY is reporting that Cosmopolitan has hired Laura Brounstein as special projects director. Chris O’Shea writes, “Brounstein comes to Cosmo from Bauer Publishing, where she most recently served as editorial director for its Teen Group. According to Cosmo, Brounstein will be responsible for “executing and generating off-the-page ideas for the brand and contributing as an editor and writer to the magazine.”
