Given that Newsweek plans to stop printing its magazine by year end, and rely on digital distribution to carry the load, one might be tempted to surmise that the sky is falling on print.
But from the look of things, the sky is in the same place it was last time we checked.
According to Simon Dumenco, the “Media Guy” at Ad Age, there are plenty of counter examples to Newsweek, where magazines are not only embracing print, but boosting revenue in the process.
The truth is, all ad-supported media — including magazines and digital-native companies — are operating in what continues to be a challenging environment. The difference with magazines is that they generally have to function as real companies with real revenues and real plans for how to survive and thrive.
No, Dumenco won’t be taking meetings with VCs anytime soon.
Instead, he will continue to take note of, and admire the progress being made titles like Marie Claire, which was recognized by Ad Age as its Magazine of the Year.
Dumenco reports that Marie Claire is up more than 15% in ad pages so far this year, and has published two editions of its career-focused spin-off title, Marie Claire@Work. “All of the A-List winners are innovating in digital — with websites and tablet/mobile editions that are driving real revenue — at the same time that they’re continuing to convince readers and advertisers of the value of print,” Dumenco contends.
