CBS And Dish Agree Not To Fight Over Thanksgiving

Dish subscribers take not, the Grinch has not come to take your CBS network off the air...just yet.  With Thanksgiving a day away, the two parties have agreed to an extension into next week.  That means that the lawyers for both parties would rather be home over the long vacation break then squabbling over contract terms.  That can wait till Monday.  And so Dish customers and Dish employees can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy their football and other CBS programming this Thanksgiving weekend.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Discovery Adds To The Layoff Announcements

In my blog the end of last month, I noted the slew of end of year job layoffs across the media industry.  With the holidays coming and deep into Q4, those notices would only continue.  Although just announced in the press, it is my understanding that layoff notices at Discovery were received last week.  Per Multichannel, it was " a decision to consolidate its regional offices, leaving only a senior executive in cities like Detroit and Atlanta rather than a larger sales team."  Layoffs affected more than the ad sales group as affiliate sales and other functions were also hit.

 As for the programmer community, Discovery, Scripps, Fox, AMC, and others have all seen layoffs at their respective companies.  Given consolidation occurring at the cable operator levels, programming companies could see similar consolidation in the coming year.  And that will only mean more layoffs.  With more content heading toward digital, less people are needed to run affiliate sales and marketing.  And the ad sales efforts continue to get more automated and programmatic.  But like all we have seen before it, this move is cyclical and at some point more employees will again be needed to fun new monetization opportunities. 

the move also reflects a decision to consolidate its regional offices, leaving only a senior executive in cities like Detroit and Atlanta rather than a larger sales team. - See more at: http://www.multichannel.com/news/advertising/discovery-latest-cut-back-staffers/385840#sthash.RU1cW7QN.dpuf

the move also reflects a decision to consolidate its regional offices, leaving only a senior executive in cities like Detroit and Atlanta rather than a larger sales team. - See more at: http://www.multichannel.com/news/advertising/discovery-latest-cut-back-staffers/385840#sthash.RU1cW7QN.dpuf

Radio Redux via Podcasting

The world is cyclical and no matter what we do, history tends to repeat itself.  For those that can spot the trends, they can work to not repeat horrible historical events or capitalize on them.  In media, those cycles repeat themselves over and over again, just as TV copied radio, cable copied broadcast, and now digital is doing the same to TV.  We learn from the previous institution and reimagine it under new technological advances.

The world of radio was once the place for serialized dramas, comedies, and other theater of the mind broadcasts until the world of TV added pictures to the sound.  Radio morphed into news, talk, especially sports talk, and music.  But with the rise of the podcast, theater of the mind has come to the digital age.  The latest podcast is the much talked about Serial from the producers of This American Life. Per the NY Times, it is the "re-examination of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, a Maryland teenager, that resulted in the conviction of Adnan Syed, her former boyfriend." Episodes range from 30 minutes to an hour and draw out slowly new information about this very real case.  And it is capturing a significant audience of listeners, including my own family. 

In an age where most of us seek out the full experience of sight and sound, this series has reminded us of the power that an audio broadcast can offer.  As more and more people hear about Serial, it is likely that it will enable other podcasts to benefit from this new interest in the spoken word.  And perhaps the radio medium itself can choose to revisit what once made them the instrument when millions of households would sit around the radio to listen to the next episode of Dragnet on the radio or Fibber McGee and Molly.  That podcasting has revitalized the audio broadcast once again demonstrates the cycles in our world and that history does indeed repeat itself. 

Aereo Files Bankruptcy

According to the NY Times, Aereo has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 ending its run as a cable TV disruptor.  The Supreme Court ruled against the Aereo business model which enabled consumers to lease remote antennas to access over the air broadcast signals, digitize, and stream them for viewership.  Shows could be recorded for later viewing or streamed live to any device.  That model proved fatal for Aereo.

As to next steps, Aereo will try to sell off its assets.  And other OTT businesses will come up with different means to capture and transmit signals by placing antennas directly at the consumers' home.  Aereo's loss was the broadcasters gain. CBS has jumped on it by creating its own OTT subscription service for viewers to stream and watch its programming.  Perhaps other broadcast networks will follow.  Still, Aereos' appeal was that it aggregated all the broadcast signals onto one platform for an easier experience.  Farewell Aereo, your business model may have been in vain but as a disruptor you sure did light a fire to change. 

Amazon To Offer Ad Supported Video Streaming Service

Amazon's plan to rule the online universe has taken a fresh turn with plans to expand its video strategy.  Currently offering Amazon Prime, a $99 a year service that includes video streaming, free shipping, and more, its next move is a separate free, ad supported video streaming service to attract a larger audience.  While no specific launch date was announced, the service could appeal to cord cutters among others.  And while some think it could hurt the Netflix subscription model, I actually believe it will only help it.

For Amazon, it offers another way to monetize its exclusive online content, shows like Alpha House and the new kids series, Gortimer Gibbon's Life On Normal Street, as well as acquired programs from HBO including The Sopranos, Deadwood, The Wire, and more.  Adding an ad component will also help track and perhaps even enable its advertising to lead to online purchase behavior (on the Amazon website, of course).  The data of users to the service coupled with their purchase behavior could bring premium ad pricing.  Plus, the appeal of the Amazon free streaming service might eventually upsell them to a Prime customer.

Why shouldn't Netflix be worried?  Viewer consumption of programming is based on appeal and interest.  With its blend of original and acquired TV and movie content, and a relatively inexpensive monthly price, Netflix customers will remain as long as there is always a breadth and depth of content choices.  But Netflix might just consider a free ad supported service to both monetize its video content and drive adoption to upsell to its subscription service, too.  And Netflix, because they are not tied to their own e-commerce model could also offer a click through to other online retailers to purchase after viewing an ad.  Netflix might like a piece of that action, as well.  The only downside for Netflix, that customers drop the paid subscription for the free model, but it might be worth the risk.

Dish Facing More Network Drops

Dish Network doesn't seem to mind that it is facing multiple contract issues with its programmers.  Last month, CNN and Cartoon dropped off the channel line-up and now they have a possible CBS drop on their hands.  But to keep laying it on, the rest of the Turner Networks, TBS and TNT in particular, are also set to be turned off.  For Dish subscribers, the loss of a cable network is a nuisance, the loss of a broadcaster is a headache. 

With carriage of pro football games, rating dominant prime time programs, and more, CBS can create a major headache for Dish just as it did in its negotiations with Time Warner Cable in Los Angeles.  That drop caused a large number of subscribers to drop their cable service for another provider.  Could a CBS drop on Dish cause the same significant subscriber loss? 

Yes, these programmer - cable distributor boxing matches seem to happen every year.  A network's contract expires, the signal goes dark on the line-up, consumers complain, and eventually, after a PR blitz, the service is restored, and the cycle starts again for another programmer.  A sorrowful process that continues to repeat.  As for the subscriber, we become numb in the process and eventually figure out that no matter where we end up, the same type of fight will emerge on that distributor.  Another reason consumers are dropping their cable cord altogether and seeking content over the top. 

Nielsen Attempting To Measure Netflix

It is hard to get an accurate count when companies don't want to be counted.  In today's Wall Street Journal article, Nielsen hopes to measure usage of both Netflix and Amazon Prime through its audio feed.  And while it may garner some information, it comes across as half-baked.  First, it only measure on connected TV sets, "Nielsen is still working on a way to measure subscription-video viewing on mobile devices, where such technology won’t work."  And second that it is being done without Netflix or Amazon's support.

Of course, getting good data is key to essentially what content owners want to know, "Is putting content on Netflix impacting the viewership on linear and traditional VOD".  But as more and more Netflix consumption is on mobile devices, the value of the research may be strained.  Common sense may already tell content owners what they implicitly already know.  Viewership is shifting from cable and broadcast to digital streaming media.  Current research already confirms this trend. 

Why doesn't Netflix or Amazon care to be measured by Nielsen.  Their revenue comes from subscription to their services and not from advertising.  Internally, they know who has subscribed and what they are watching.  And so, doing a deal with Nielsen today doesn't seem to be a high priority for either service.  For Nielsen and its customers, the data gleaned from this workaround collection process, via audio, may tell a story, just not a complete one.  Content owners that are doing programming deals with OTT providers see it as another window of revenue opportunity. 

And while it may create an issue of cannibalization that could hurt ad revenue in other windows, it can also help to draw new audiences.  Case in point, Breaking Bad on Netflix of older seasons led new audiences to catch up on the series to then head over to AMC to watch the current season play out.  A win for both platforms.  And one day when Orange Is The New Black sells a cable distribution window, the buzz it has gotten from Netflix should draw large audiences and consequently ad dollars.  And Nielsen needs to find a way to accurately measure all streaming usage. 

NYC To Replace Payphones With WIFI

About a year from now, NYC will be offering free wifi access; sure Starbucks offers that now, but the city hopes to create a fast public wifi link using payphone kiosks to transmit a 150 foot perimeter in order to connect.  And NYC hopes to profit from this new business venture through advertising on payphone kiosks.

Initially, I thought that such an ambitious plan would enable apartment dwellers across the city to ditch their cable company and get high speed access to watch Netflix and other content without paying an ISP provider.  But 150 feet may not reach many people in their homes.  At the same time, New Yorkers using that end up using the new wifi service will most likely have to be outside to access.  Okay in the summer, less so in the winter.  And wouldn't you rather sit down in a nice coffee shop than stand outside and freeze your behind off as you surf the web.

As to advertising, with so many digital billboards already overwhelming our senses in the city, it is hard to imagine that more kiosks will provide a positive ad experience.  And per Mashable, "Users will only have to log into the network once, making the transition from one hotspot to the next seamless." Thus no real online ad opportunity.  

Such a program seems beneficial to NYC residents with free wifi and free domestic phone capabilities.  And if the radius of wifi access can be significantly expanded, a nice alternative to the cable and phone company; in fact, a potential competitor.  But as a business, it is hard to see it being profitable for its owners.  And while there is worry that a public wifi hotspot could affect our privacy, we have already accepted these wifi hotspots as we enter coffee shops, department stores and other establishments.  It seems few of us care about privacy. 

Apps Changing Internet Usage

Today's Wall Street Journal reminds us that when we enter a particular app on our mobile device, we are essentially entering into a walled garden of specific information, disconnected from the open world wide web.  According to the article, we have changed how we surf, spending more time with apps than with an internet browser.  "On phones, 86% of our time is spent in apps, and just 14% is spent on the Web, according to mobile-analytics company Flurry." 

And we have seemed to fall in love with our apps to find and share information fast.  The article worries that once we are inside a particular app or walled garden, we are then subject to its rules and whims, limited by what the particular app wants to allow us to see or do.  Most interesting to note, "The Web is built of links, but apps don’t have a functional equivalent."  We stay inside the garden unless we choose to venture again outside to seek additional information.  And unless we look outside the gates, we may not be exposed to new information. 

The article certainly doesn't see apps as bad, but as perhaps the next development of a changing platform.  The challenge is to find a way for openness to emerge.  The author's conclusion seems a sound one.  "It is that in the transition to a world in which services are delivered through apps, rather than the Web, we are graduating to a system that makes innovation, serendipity and experimentation that much harder for those who build things that rely on the Internet. And today, that is pretty much everyone."  If that is the case, I'm sure brighter minds are working on new types of app search. 

Verizon To Sell A Mobile Cable Subscription

With the purchase of Intel's OnCue business, Verizon is embarking on a plan to offer a mobile version of a cable subscription business according to Wireless Week. Using their LTE mobile spectrum, Verizon plans to deliver a cable-like platform of channels for consumers.  And while launch date, subscription pricing, and other information is yet to be announced, it appears that Verizon sees an opportunity to attract cord cutters with a new approach. 

Cord cutting continues to grow as 150,000 households shed their cable subscription as of July 1 of this year.  According to Mashable, Time Warner Cable and Comcast were hit the worst.  Verizon's new pay-TV service could further attract cable customers to shed their physical cord for a mobile cable experience.  Verizon already understands the overbuild mentality as it markets its FIOS business in markets with cable providers.  Verizon's mobile business could potentially cannibalize some of its own FIOS customers although cable opertaors are more at risk.  And FIOS could market a mobile package that delivers the ultimate in a TV Everywhere approach. 

As OTT continues to mature, and platforms like Hulu and Netflix attracting subscribers, networks like HBO, SHO, and CBS are developing their own OTT models.  Verizon's mobile platform could be a boon to these networks and others.  It may also allow Verizon to start over to build and bundle services that consumers actually want to watch at a price point that is acceptable to them.  And if successful, this new business could truly disrupt the cable subscription model. 

Data May Be True King When It Comes To Success

Having content to view may not be the same thing as having content that people watch.  And when it comes to measuring success, how many watch, who they are, what they like, and where they go may ultimately determine how successful any piece of content can be.  The data behind the content, the analytics and insight derived from who is watching a piece of content is imperative to financial success.  It is reminiscent of the adage asking if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, did it make a sound.  That data is crucial especially when it drives advertising dollars.

The buzz on measurement of content, whether linear, on demand, streaming, or download requires that it is properly being collected, that it is accurate and correct, and that the time frame in which it is collected is relevant to the process.  And for media buyers, that reaching an audience is not just a size based proposition, but also efficiency to a segment of the population you are trying to reach, whether age based, gender, income, purchasing behavior, etc. 

The system today seems far from perfect.  Do we count live only views, Live and same day delayed, or +3 day or +7 views.  Did the pre-roll play, was the sound on, was it fully visible, and is it a real impression?  Questions of fraud remain part of the conversation.  Still, with verified data, the value is essential in making content profitable.

Like iPods Product Line, iPhones Will Also Lower iPad Sales

Technological cannibalization seems to be the norm and no one is more aware of this impact than Apple.  When they introduced the iPhone, many worried that iPod sales would be hurt.  And they were right.  But the innovation of the iPhone, while cannibalizing iPod sales, also enabled Apple to succeed.  The same cycle is now repeating with the iPad.

While iPods continue to sell, they represent a smaller business then before.  With the introduction of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple recognizes that it will cannibalize sales of its iPad.  In fact, it could lead to the drop of the iPad Mini model.  At the same time, the iPad may fine more uses in business sectors then in the consumer market.  And as iPhone sales makes iPads less desirable, they may also help sell more laptops.

With the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro getting lighter and more powerful, Apple users may find these products, linked with their larger iPhones as the perfect combination.  MacBook sales in general have been rising as PC sales are declining.  This trend seems likely to continue.

For Apple, they seem to have no problem letting cannibalization occur.  It is in their best overall interest to not try to save declining products but to focus on the synergy of their total product line.  With the introduction of the iWatch in 2015, that synergy is likely to continue.

Net Neutrality Laws Not The Answer

Do we have a problem with our internet, the simple answer is yes.  But regulating access to assure that all content gets equal access may not be the correct course.  As many like to say, too much government interference, limits growth, and if treated like a utility, would hamper innovation.  Our problem is not that some traffic on the internet superhighway gets clogged; rather, that the whole highway is a traffic jam.

As the Huffington Post pointed out last month, "Americans pay far more and get far less when it comes to the Internet than many other people around the world." Broadband connectivity in the United States is more expensive than other countries and our overall speeds are slower, too.  With more and more devices trying to get online, the highway can come to a noticeable stop.  In my home, watching a video on a tablet causes other computers in the house to stop loading web content.  Too many users on a cable broadband line slows overall speeds. 

How do we improve the broadband highway.  Not through regulation, but by lowering the barrier to competition.  Eliminate cable franchises and open spectrum.  Let overbuilding encourage more competition.  More competition drives better pricing models and gives consumers more choice.  Too much regulation is not the answer.  We've recognized the problems but need better solutions. 

Obama Wants Net Neutrality

With two years left on his presidency, President Obama has decided now is the time to speak out on net neutrality.  He has asked the FCC to pursue full net neutrality and to enable free and equal internet traffic for all.  Whether a data heavy, video driving site like Netflix or a low graphics, easy downloaded website, consumers should be able to access both equally as fast.  No HOV lanes, no slow downs by ISPs.  I'm almost surprised that he didn't try to have all broadband as a utility, subject to the same rules as water, gas, and electric.

The real challenges for the US regarding internet access are speed and price.  Shouldn't more be done to encourage wire and wireless competition.   Is net neutrality the better policy course to driving innovation and superior service?  Shouldn't the FCC focus instead on opening up more spectrum for more ISPs to enter and compete for users.  If internet speeds can be improved, then all traffic will thrive, whether they are in a slower or faster lane.  Then how fast any one piece of content is over another will be meaningless if there is no perceptible difference. 

Should Cablevision Seek A Buyer?

Cablevision announced its third quarter financials and the news suggests trouble.  While revenues rose through price increases, growth has stopped.  Like other cable operators, Cablevision faced another quarter of cable subscriber drops, losing 56,000 households.  The trouble for Cablevision is that while other cable operators see growth in their broadband subscribers, they encountered a drop of 23,000 homes.  That spells major trouble.  Price increases to current homes may mask some concern, leading to Q3 revenue growth of 3.7%,  but continued cable and broadband subscriber drops cannot be overcome with more price increases.  The dam may be ready to burst.

So is there an exit strategy?  Is CEO Jim Dolan still committed to Cablevision or is he willing to finally jettison the asset and concentrate on his main loves, MSG and his music?  Do they have the ability to right this ship? Or is it time for Cablevision to find a buyer?

Cablevision lost a strong leader in Tom Rutledge a few years ago when he left Cablevision to run Charter.  Could Ruttledge be interested in acquiring Cablevision and once again taking control over the troubled empire?  With Comcast and Time Warner Cable busy on their merger plans, Charter could be the likely front runner.  And Rutledge seems to have the Midas touch when it comes to cable operations.  Given Cablevision's stumble, the timing might be right to consider making a bid.  And the answer to the title is yes, Cablevision should start seeking a buyer. 

Ad Spend Shifts To Reach Consumers

Today's Wall Street Journal reports on the shifting dollars of ad spending.  The concern is that ad dollars are flowing away from television and toward digital content.  And while it is described as shaky, it is hardly earth shattering.  Truth be told, these shifts are simply part of long term trends that have affected media buying for quite some time.  And those media that don't remain flexible to changing viewership patterns eventually become irrelevant. 

Old technology gets replaced by new technology; the horse drawn carriage by the automobile or the train by the jet.  For those that can predict the shift comes the ability to take a product or service from birth to maturity.  And while old technology like the train may lose some market share to the jet, it still can survive as a mature business.

Back to advertising, media has watched audience usage shift from print to radio to broadcast to cable to digital.  All media platforms remain available, but start to be used differently.  Radio is no longer the home for 30 minute sitcoms or dramas; today they are music, news, talk, and sports.  Those long form shows shifted to television as audiences demanded first video, then color over black and white.  Today those viewers now want portability, personalization, and on demand, something that digital can do very well.  But TV is not dead or even on shaky ground.

According to the research from MoffettNathanson, broadcast and cable are still growing, simply at a slower rate.  It is the maturation of the TV platform as another takes over.  Viewers are a fickle bunch; one year they love the content you offer on your broadcast or cable or theatrical platforms and the nest year, interest has waned with your content and moved to another content creator.  And digital platforms like Netflix and Hulu and Amazon and others let viewers watch shows and movies on their terms.

Still this shift of viewership from TV to digital could change the cable landscape.  In the beginnings of cable television, networks were created to reach segmented interests.  You had an arts channel, a sports channel, a comedy channel, a movie channel, and so on and each channel had a clear segmented identity.  Where broadcast networks reached a broad audience base, a cable network could reach a smaller, albeit passionate viewer segment.  But as cable grew up, it started to want a bigger share of the pie.  Those individual identities began to soften as networks widened their reach with more varied programming categories.  Today, most cable networks look like broadcast networks.  And with so many lookalike networks, segmentation turned into fragmentation.  It seems the next step for cable TV may be for consolidation as smaller networks get dropped off the line-up.

TV ad spend will continue to shift as new platforms emerge and audiences embrace these new ways to interact with content.  Broadcast felt it as cable networks gained better programming and more viewership.  And TV as a whole will feel it as digital gains better programming too.  The shift is inevitable and like before, the trend will only continue.  The smart content distributors will embrace digital and capture the dollars regardless of the platform its content is on.  HBO and CBS offering unique digital subscription models is one such example.  Hulu Plus, a consortium of broadcast media ownership is another.  Their is nothing wrong with TV ad spend, it is just following the same trends that have affected it before. 

Spotify Loses While Taylor Swift Gains

Aside from her musical talent, Taylor Swift could also be described as a marketing expert.  Faced with digital disruption in the music industry, she caused a disturbance in the streaming music industry that helped to drive her album sales.  Fans couldn't listen to her album without paying for it, so they opted to pay for it.  The result, 1.3 million album sales in the first week.  We can only expect for total album sales to go higher.

Certainly Spotify was not truly hurt by the loss of one artist.  The challenge will be that others will follow the Taylor Swift strategy of promotion, limited streaming availability, and other marketing tactics.  Access to current musical content could cause Spotify and others to remodel themselves to maintain subscription growth. 

By the way, Swift's album 1989 was the first album to top a million in its first week in 2014 and currently ranks as the "second-highest seller overall, behind the Frozen soundtrack." 

Dish Network Not Afraid To Drop Channels

Last month, Dish Network dropped most of the Turner Networks, the most notable being CNN, especially given this being an election year.  And while, they reported a small drop in subscribers for the third quarter, the belief was that the loss of Turner nets was not a big deal.  Rather, according to the Wall Street Journal article, "Subscriber growth has been hurt by quality-of-service issues, Dish said, including not meeting its own standards for installations, answering subscriber calls in an acceptable time frame, and equipment reliability. The company warned that these issues could affect revenue growth in the future."

Cost control is a driving factor in the cable game as consumers fight the high cost of cable television by dropping their service for OTT programming.  Dish recognizes the challenge of keeping their subscribers and limiting price hikes, especially those caused by higher license fees.  At the same time, Dish is focusing on the online market with possible plans to build out their own low priced video service.  That may be a hard business to pull off unless Dish can integrate its license fee deals for online content with its satellite deals to assure the best rate for license fees. 

Turner won't be their only problem.  The article reports that the CBS deal will also expire by year end.  Watching what happened to Time Warner Cable after its war with CBS, Dish may be more willing to negotiate with a broadcaster like CBS, then with a cable programmer like Turner. 

Taylor Swift Tells Spotify To Shake It Off

Free does not seem to be a good business model in the music business.  Faced with a digital disruption, music sales have been seriously hurt.  Music stores like Tower Records and HMV are gone and customers who once bought physical copies of music on vinyl or cd are now moving to digital downloads, while others are enjoying the access of music through streaming services.  But artists are also seeing less of a return on their creative expression and Taylor Swift has decided to do something about it.

On Monday, she pulled all of her music from the free streaming service Spotify.  Certainly, the decision was a financial one.  With single and album digital downloads down, and streaming usage up, the economics don't favor the artist.  The limited streaming availability may be part of a supply and demand relationship.  Cut back the supply and demand for Swift music will rise with purchase the more accessible option over streaming. 

And while Spotify has lost access to Swift's entire music library, Mashable notes "that Swift's music, sans 1989, is available on the Apple-owned Beats Music service, a smaller streaming rival whose executives have stressed a desire to secure artist exclusives." How long that lasts or what the business move is behind the arrangement may soon come to light.

As single artist pulling music from Spotify and other streaming music services may not cause major disruptions, but the success of such a move could be the disruption that causes other artists to do the same thing and alter the entire streaming business model.  Spotify needs content to attract its audience; without it, consumers will seek other sources.  The biggest concern though for the artists are that such a move leads consumers back to the Napster days of illegal downloads.  Some revenue may be better than none at all. 

CNET Adds Print To The MultiPlatform Mix

It sounds a little bit old school, but CNET, the technology website wants to recapture attention with a new quarterly print magazine.  Unfortunately, CNET's owner CBS no longer has a magazine publishing arm, so its back to square one.  But it may just recapture the sparkle in CNET that it needs.

So what is the broader market strategy for CNET.  According to the NY Times, "The arrival of CNET in print is indicative of a trend: Brands that began digitally are turning every day into #ThrowbackThursday by adding versions in traditional forms."  But print is somewhat of an odd partner for a technologically oriented brand, one that already has its own You Tube channel.  Would it have made more sense to build out a tablet magazine model?  Its choice of outlets for magazine distribution, including Target, Walmart, and Costco, may indicate its desire to get the CNET name more known across Middle America.  Brand awareness drives more attention then back to its website.

The move to the magazine though is built on synergy.  The inaugural Winter 2014 cover includes LL Cool J, star of the CBS drama NCIS: Los Angeles.  With a first issue circulation of 200,000, the financial risk may also be minimal; the reward more impactful given the number of stories being written just as the issue hits the stands.   Food Network and HGTV have found relative success with their respective magazine brands and with the departure of the Macworld magazine, there may just be room for the CNET magazine to thrive.  So hail to the multi-platform strategy; the more available you are, the easier it may be to grow.