Dennis aren't Monkeying around...

Its official - digital magazines DO work.





Look at the ABC's posted by the Dennis portfolio - iGizmo, Monkey and iMotor.

• Monkey - recorded 283,541 average readers per issue, marking its fourth successive ABCe rise and its best result since launching in 2006.


• iGizmo - iGizmo attracted 101,785 average readers per issue.


• iMotor - registered a circulation of 108,622.

Dennis claims that advertising responsiveness has been very high with the digital titles, with a recent car manufacturer promotion in iMotor delivering over 200 test drives and 400 brochure requests from a single insertion.

Bruce Sandell, head of new product development at Dennis, said: "We now have over 1.4m readers [per month] opening, engaging with and enjoying our digital magazines.
"Our readers are also spending over half an hour immersed in each issue which makes the environment a very different proposition to websites, where the audience is far more likely to dip in and out.

"This audits prove that the digital magazine sector is a viable, growing and successful business model."

Daily print magazine goes web only

Big News ! The Christian Science Monitor is about to become the first national newspaper in the US to go web only.

Its ditching print after 100 years and had a circulation as high as 220,000 in the 1970s, but now sells around 52,000 copies each day, while the website attracts 1.5m visitors a month.

It is forecast to lose $18.9m in the year ending April 30. The switch to web-only publication is projected to help cut this loss to $10.5m by 2013.

It is a development that will be watched closely by other newspaper publishers already struggling to maintain circulation levels and now facing the added threat of a significant fall in advertising revenue in 2009.

However, because the Monitor is run as a non-profit business, and is subsidised, its experience is somewhat different to most newspapers.

The end of the Christian Science Monitor as a daily newspaper comes at a tough time for the US newpaper industry as hundreds lose their jobs across the country.
Yesterday, Tribune Co's Los Angeles Times announced it was to cut 10% of its editorial staff, laying-off 75 employees as part of a 200-person reduction that began last week.

The New York Times cut jobs earlier this year and USA Today's owner, Gannett, is also cutting more jobs having announced 120 were to go in August.
The Star-Ledger, the biggest newspaper in New Jersey, said last week it was to make about 40% of its newsroom staff redundant with around 150 jobs going.

Love is in the air for digital magazines

I had a heads up on this after having two of their team on my course last month - this is a really interesting development given the target demographic (which of course is older...)

Mills & Boon is making a major commitment to e-book publishing with the decision to make dozens of new titles available as digital downloads every month.
It is is making all titles available as e-books every month, with the exception of its special releases, centenary products and summer sale books.

Mills & Boon admits that one of the benefits is that fans can read the books in "total anonymity", allowing them to avoid the embarrassment factor. It also says that it will mean fans won't have to wait for the latest titles to be delivered, as they can be downloaded instantly.

One of the things I discovered was that the top search on their site is "knickers"

Fancy that..

BtoB digital pubs on the increase

The number of publishers claiming qualified electronic editions-i.e. digital copies-on their most recent BPA circulation statements increased 28 percent, according to the company. There were 286 in June, up from 224 in December.

Cimarron Buser, SVP, marketing and business development at Texterity, added that "the increased use of laptops in a paperless world" has also helped spur on the increase of digital.

Despite the increase, digital still accounts for a small percentage of the overall circulation mix. On average, electronic editions made up 13 percent of total circulation for all BPA members. In fact, of the top 20 magazines in terms of digital circulation tracked by BPA, just one-Renewable Energy Focus-claims a majority of its circulation digital-only.

Oracle claimed a digital distribution of 146,545-a 19 percent increase-during the first half of the year, topping all BPA titles in digital circulation. Electronic editions now comprise almost 30 percent of Oracle's total subscriber base.

The UK's first user generated magazine

I've evangelised about this a lot on the PPA Training courses I do, and I'm now putting the readers content where my mouth is.

Merricks Media is set to publish an edition of Greece Magazine comprised entirely of reader created content – the first time that this has ever been done in the UK.

The November issue will become "Your Greece Magazine" reflecting the unique issue content; which is entirely provided by the readers themselves. From tips on how to find the best tavernas in Crete to how to avoid paying too much for your taxi in Athens, every article has been crafted by the readers of Greece magazine.

The magazine is the only publication targeted at the hundreds of thousands of people in the UK who regularly travel to or have a second home in Greece, and is dedicated to delivering the best coverage on travel, food, culture and the Greek lifestyle.

The innovative approach has already driven a massive response, with hosts of pictures, articles and features piling onto editor Karen Birch’s desk.
"We are really excited about being the first magazine in the country to do this", says Karen. "Our readers have always been very passionate about every aspect of Greek life, and are always keen to write in and tell us what they think. We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the special issue."

John Weir, Publishing Director at Merricks Media said "Its vital that magazines serve their communities as closely as possible, and extending the conversation we are having with our readers into a dedicated issue seems a natural progression. We know this will result in more sales of the magazine and a better relationship with our audience."

The November issue of Greece magazine goes on sale on the 30th October and is available at all WH Smith stores priced £3.95

Green magazine walks the digital walk

Looks like some people are getting it...

Publisher Planet Ink is launching a lifestyle magazine covering environmental issues, which will be published without a print edition.

Ecoforyou, which launches on October 21, will be available free to users in digital page-turn format. It will be funded through both sponsorship and advertising.