News Flash - people still read! People seek content and view it in ways that adapt to their lifestyle. In that regard, we've become a nation on the go, needing the latest information in the shortest amount of time. Why is traditional mail decreasing; because, email brings us communication faster. And now instant messaging becomes faster than email. The same holds true for print magazines. Consumers want their content at their fingertips and they want it now. Digital media can save the print media industry.
And perhaps the magazine industry is finally taking notice. "Some of the magazine industry’s biggest names are on the verge of forming a new company that would allow them to take the digital future into their own hands. The company would make up one of the biggest alliances among rival publishers ever formed in print media, with Time Inc., Condé Nast and Hearst all expected to join, houses that together publish more than 50 magazines, including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Time, People, Sports Illustrated, Esquire and O, The Oprah Magazine."
There is leverage in aggregating resources, building out common platforms and striking deals. The rise of the smartphone, iPhone, Kindle, and Nook, should pave the way for new revenue streams. Initially, the industry should follow the Wall Street Journal route and offer a digital subscription with the print one. Heck even DVDs offer a digital copy with their disc.
