Comag Marketing Group, LLC » Other Media

Magazine Tumblrs Creating Buzz

Kim — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:03:13 +0000

Tumblr, a rapidly maturing microblogging platform recently passed 250 million page views per day. There are currently at least 61 publications active on the platform, including Newsweek, GQ, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, The Economist, and the most followed, Vogue. These publications use Tumblr as a behind-the-scenes look at the magazine, an outlet for voicing opinions that may be too feisty for the publication itself.

Newsweek has used Tumblr to defend the publication’s sale and subsequent newsroom turnover. GQ uses Tumblr to point out impressive features in the latest print production and thinks it helps show that the magazine goes beyond fashion. However, when magazines fail to utilize the platform on an interactive level and simply as an RSS feed, as was the case for People magazine, their Tumblr fails to take off.

Tumblrs are helping create buzz around magazines and hence, attracting new readership. The Atlantic believes Tumblr has been really useful in attracting a younger audience than their website. “There are plenty of incredibly thoughtful, intelligent, creative people that publish in new media, and Tumblr as a platform tends to attract creative types; as a result, it’s been a great source for really brave thinking and brave ideas…” said Jared Keller of The Atlantic.

Business Insider (5/25/11)

Popular Mechanics Launches iPad App

Kim — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:14:34 +0000

Though it’s not Hearst’s first magazine app, it is their first completely homegrown one. All of Hearst’s magazines already are available in digital format via third-party platforms, but Pop Mech is the first to be built directly by Hearst. The iPad version has a similar look and feel to the print magazine, as the reader moves through the app with horizontal swipes meant to mimic the print reading experience. So far, only a scaled-down introductory version is available, but the complete magazine will be released in the coming months. MediaWeek (July 8, 2010)

Consumers Weigh-In on Online Subscriptions

Kim — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:29:39 +0000

The Neilsen Co. surveyed more than 27,000 consumers in 52 countries to find out their feelings about paying for online media subscriptions. Movies and music top the list of services that people would be willing to pay for online, approaching 60%. Games, professionally produced video and magazines hover around 50% and newspapers are just above 40%. Talk radio, podcasts, social commentaries, and music radio come in slightly ahead of consumer-generated videos and blogs, which are low on the list of content consumers are willing to pay for. More than 78% of those surveyed said they believe if they already subscribe to offline services like magazines, newspaper, and television, they should be able to use online services for free. In addition to that, 71% said the services would have to be considerably better than what is currently free before they actually pay for it. Also, most people surveyed believed that if they pay for content, there should be no advertisements. Tampa Bay Business Journal Feb. 16, 2010

Nielsen to Integrate Online Views to Its Ratings

Kim — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:59:15 +0000

The Neilsen Company is hoping to provide combined ratings for TV and internet viewing. With more consumers watching TV episodes via the Internet, Neilsen has been under pressure to track viewership more effectively. These ratings are vitally important to the TV industry because they are used to sell an estimated $70 billion in advertising each year. Though Neilsen has not said when the ratings will be available, Internet meters are already being installed to measure TV views online. New York Times Dec. 2, 2009.

Oprah Announces End of TV Show in 2011

Jennifer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:05:54 +0000

Reports suggest that she likely will concentrate her efforts on OWN, her nascent cable television network. The New York Times Nov. 21, 2009

Hearst Considers New Media Shopping Spree

Jennifer — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:42:38 +0000

New York Post columnist Keith Kelly cites Hearst “insiders” who say that the media company has earmarked $1 Billion for acquisitions that will lead to new revenue streams in digital and non-traditional media. The New York Post Nov. 11, 2009

Gourmet-Editor-Turned-TV-Star Makes a Prediction about Magazines

Jennifer — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:49:58 +0000

At a party celebrating her new TV show, Gourmet’s Adventures with Ruth, the former editor of Gourmet magazine, Ruth Reichl, expressed grave concern about the future of magazines, “as we know them.” The New York Observer Oct. 16, 2009

A New York Times review of the new TV show, which airs on PBS television stations, is available here.

Warner Bros. Effects Re-Structuring at DC Comics

Jennifer — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:44:04 +0000

New President Diane Nelson will be charged with more aggressively exploit the company’s comic-book characters across film, television and other media. The New York Times Sept. 10, 2009 The Wall Street Journal Sept. 10, 2009 Paid subscription may be required.

Martha and People Lead Magazine Twitterers…

Jennifer — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:42:59 +0000

Min ran a magazine Twitter account check for last Monday, June 22nd, and reports on the top ten magazine Twitter users. Min Online June 29, 2009

Maxim to Produce Specials for E! Cable Network

Jennifer — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:57:12 +0000

The agreement is for a minimum of six specials, with two — “Maxim’s Celebrity Beach Watch” and “Maxim’s Hottest Moments 2009 — to appear before the end of the year. Variety June 18, 2009