The Web makes a good archival (including real-time archival) medium for magazines, but is fundamentally flawed as an advertising-sponsored content delivery medium. The challenges of content individualization are actually much harder for magazines, whose content is already more focused than that of newspapers. And the publication frequencies of print magazines editions (weekly or monthly) makes New Media's cannibalization of readership a very real issue.
While there is certainly a reactionary trend among traditional media executives away from New Media, the real reason that New Media isn't a major focus for them is lack of benefit. When they'll get benefit from New Media, they'll pay plenty of attention to New Media.
- Vin Crosbie, fellow 'Tidbits' contributor and speaker on 'New Approaches to the Business Model' (http://www.m2forum.com/thursday.html) at this past June's International Magazine Management Executive Forum.
