The Digital Magazine: Has its Time Come?
We all love to flip through a glossy, interesting magazine on the plane, in the dentist's waiting room, or stretched out on the sofa in the evening. However magazines have not been isolated from the troubles that print media are having due to the online world. Many magazines are struggling to survive and some of them are moving completely online in order to stick around. In November we reported that leading tech magazine PC Magazine would go 100% online from February 2009, after 27 years of existing in print form. Let's look at how PC Magazine is doing, along with another digital magazine that we like called Avantoure.
Our writer Frederic Lardinois raised a very good question when PC Magazine went digital: why is PC Magazine putting time and effort into producing a digital edition of its magazine, instead of just focusing on improving its website? The answer probably comes down to one word: design. The best thing about magazines, to many of us, is their design. Probably the most successful tech magazine of this era is Wired, which is renowned for its design.
The digital PC Magazine magazine, which you can download a free sample of at Zinio, employs Flash technology and opens in a web browser window. We perused the June edition, but didn't see a lot of interactivity. Also many of the hyperlinks simply opened up pages in PC Magazine's website. A letter from a reader in the feedback section of this issue noted how he likes to print out parts of the digital PC Magazine. That implies to us that PC Magazine hasn't fully escaped the shackles of print. In fact it seems very much like the print magazine simply transplanted into an eBook. The magazine has plenty of fans, and is known for its reviews, however, it still has a few tricks to learn about digital magazines by the look of it.
Back in December 2006 we reviewed a new online magazine that impressed us with its flashy design: Avantoure. It's still going strong 2.5 years later. With the tagline "life is a game," Avantoure features rich media such as animations, interactive content, music, audio interviews, movie clips and TV commercials. The May-June 09 issue is as visually stunning as ever, using Flash as its format. It's presented online, within the browser, but is also available as an offline Flash file. The magazine costs £25 for 6 issues, or £4.50 for one issue. Generally speaking Avantoure is what PC Magazine should be aspiring to be.
So to answer the question that headlines this post: has the time of digital magazines arrived? Most people would agree that reading a magazine should be a relaxing, pleasurable experience. However if you're reading a digital magazine on your computer, chances are that you aren't especially relaxed. The savior of digital magazines though will be the increasing market penetration of eBook Readers, such as Amazon's Kindle and Sony's Reader device. With those devices, you will be able to read magazines in a relaxing manner on the plane and on your sofa.
R.U. Sirius, who edits a new digital magazine called h + Magazine, recently blogged that he didn't take to the digital format immediately. He wrote that he first tried the flash digital magazine format out "when I was in a hurried and impatient mood... and it confounded and irritated me." Later the same night, he returned to it "in a relaxed mood" and he found it "very very very quite readable." Of course he would say that, but it does reinforce that digital magazines need to be a relaxing read for people to truly enjoy them.
Let us know in the comments which online magazines you're reading at the moment, we'd love to find out some new ones.
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I would never pay for an online magazine.
I'll just use a well-designed free website (that may also use rich media) for free. E.g. Wired.
Perhaps using the Kindle, or better when E-INK introduces full-color flexible displays we'll have found the middle ground where people will be most comfortable. Interestingly, imagine what would have happened if newspapers and magazines were a recent invention and computer had been around for decades. People would marvel at the newspaper..."it's so light, and I can fold it over and carry it with me...in my pocket even!" It would be astounding and sensational.
So, before we too quickly move to jettison the magazine, or the newspaper, let's all understand what it is we're throwing away.
"Disposition" is a notable achievement (think about how difficult it can be to let some things go, especially as we get older), let's just make sure we aren't throwing away our sense of prudence along with everything else we seem to be jettisoning nowadays.
Laying out pages on screen in the way that print is is called 'overtransliteration of metaphor' in user experience terms. The screen is not a page and it's not looked at in the same usability context as a page. It will fail, in the same way that it doesn't make sense to have a rotating dial on a screen.
However I think the real opportunity is acknowledging that people still do print stuff out for offline reading -- so being able to print out the bits you want into one custom magazine is pretty neat.
However I'd not necessarily see offline as a growth sector!
There used to be a startup around 1999 (yeah, the go-go years :) ) called Carnelian whose purpose it was to present existing paper mags in exactly the same format on screen. This stuff doesn't translate, guys. Guaranteed failure from day 1, a waste of investors' money. Been there, tried that. Not new, not novel, and not going to succeed.
Each medium is good for its own reasons. Web pages are good for transmitting information, whereas glossy magazines are good for transmitting STYLE. Transmitting is perhaps not the right word here, ... In any case its clear that bringing magazines to the web intact is like thinking of cars as horseless carriages :)
We've seen phenominal growth in the number of magazines designed specifcally for the online medium in the past two years. In fact, we've seen the birth of a whole new ad format. Take a look http://www.ceros.com
While I still like a paper magazine, I am beginning to appreciate the value of online magazines. One of my hobbies is fly fishing where we are beginning to see several online magazines emerge. Some are pretty basic but others are quite innovative including this one.
Catch Magazine incorporates a lot of features just not possible in a paper alternative.
Mind you, I don't always like reading at my desk or with a laptop in my lap.
I do both print and web design. Web design is probably 80% of my business, but I much prefer print design. It's simply a richer experience -- the colors, the clarity, the detail, the typefaces, the textures... it's wonderful stuff to work with, lovely to look at, and it just *feels* good.
It's also bloody expensive to print and mail, so I can understand why there's such a dramatic shift to web publishing. But every once in a while, print is the way to go. Print says "quality", print says "class", print says "timeless".
After all, there's a reason that humanity has been putting words on paper for thousands of years. It's deeply embedded in our culture, and won't be disappearing any time soon. Thankfully!
There are some very good digital magazines around - but the best tend to be online-only, so they escape from the shackles of the print production process. Avantoure is a good example, as is iGizmo by Dennis/Ceros - http://issue.igizmo.co.uk/1Y4989c4b17c444012.cde
The danger, as Julian points out above, is the 'overtransliteration of metaphor' - so that the experience is detrimented by the imposition of print attributes. The main stumbling block traditional publishers face is that in online formats, design is abstracted from content (whereas in print mags, design is fundamental to content). Online, users want to view the content via mobile, widget, RSS reader, etc - meaning that carefully designed layouts are not as valued.
In effect, digital "page-turn" magazines are microsites - suitable where the publisher/brand wants to control the experience closely. (Further thoughts here - http://platform.idiomag.com/2009/02/presenting-content-online-where-digital-editions-fail/)
Although it may seem that print is on it's way out the door, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that. Although so many print publications are closing their doors, I think there is a real advantage for certain print pubs to really succeed. For many consumers, there's still something much more convenient and relaxing about having something in print and not just holding a computer or other device. I think magazines that really have the chance to succeed are ones that offer a strong web presence, but offer print subscriptions with unique content that isn't on the web.
Where's that rolled-up flexible screen you can pull out of the side of a device? One online magazine I will divert myself with from time to time is Winding Road, a car magazine: http://wrmag.nextautos.com/issue/46
For high-design mags, I think the "wide-screen" two-page, color screen is important, and still missing from stores. I don't find much time for browsing magazines in Zinio and its competitor formats online, while I will spend the time with a printed one.
I think that digital magazines have essentially a different audience and print editions shouldn't be discontinued (if possible from an economic point of view).
The point is that I don't buy any magazine regularly because I simply couldn't be bothered and none of them interest me so much to spend money on them on a regular basis. But, I'm sure there are plenty of articles from different magazines I'd like to read... and what's best than having them for free directly on my laptop screen? So in my opinion the future of magazines is digital + recommendation to attract users like me. Give me something visually pleasing, free and on demand... also, suggest me what I should read - and in exchange I'll be more than happy to see RELEVANT ads! It wouldn't take too much from the technical point of view, the main hurdle is represented by short-sighted publishers. But things will change, I'm sure...
Thanks, Richard, for opening this discussion. I couldn't agree more with what you said here:
"The answer probably comes down to one word: design."
I'm part of the team behind Issuu (http://issuu.com) where we've gone to great lengths to preserve the look and feel of the printed magazine and create the best possible UI for reading and navigation digital editions online. From an editor's viewpoint it's a simple question: If we spent $5,000 on the design of our magazine, how do we carry that over to the digital realm? Certainly HTML or PDF wasn't the full answer to that question...
Judging from our well over 200 M monthly unique page views, and the seemingly huge adoption of document sharing services, I can confirm that the time really has come for the digital magazine. But not just for the major commercial titles trying to make up for lost (print) revenue, but for everyone wanting to publish anything and actually get that feeling of 'being published'. We're witnessing a very strong 'movement' here, a refinement of knowledge creation and sharing, which was started with HTML and blogs. And this time around, just about anyone can figure out how to make a document and publish it just by uploading it to a popular digital editions service.
The main challenge left to tackle for magazines moving online, is keeping that rich and colorful design and magazine feel, which isn't fully possible with the current mobile reading devices available today.
If you want more examples of great magazine content online, here's a list of our popular ones: http://tinyurl.com/lrg64o
I guess Fabio is hinting at http://idiomag.com but on a larger scale across more verticals. Publisher buy-in is key for that. We are having some great conversations though.
@ Martin
Issuu is superb - and is really demonstrating the potential value. For publishers already involved in the print-production process it is a no-brainer to use Issuu or similar (even if they also run a website). My concern is that for many publishers, print is not sustainable, and if they choose to go online-only, the design cost associated with print would not be necessary or sustainable online. More thoughts here - http://platform.idiomag.com/2009/04/a-comparison-of-digital-magazine-providers/
I think it will definitely mean more competition and easier entry.
I read so much online both, news etc. All free, there is a mind set that "Free" is online and at this point I wouldn't pay for anything online.
However, I will still pay for print magazines. When I read a magazine, I like the flexibility of NOT using technology and lounging where I want to be.
For the environment, which uses more energy... 100,000 people turning on their computers, modems and routers to access the online version (electricity use), or the cost of printing, which includes, the cost of either recycling paper or cutting down the trees to the delivery 100,000 copies?
The "digital magazine" is really just a poorly functioning web page. Having worked in print, it still amazes me how guided the industry's perception is to "fit" all digital content into the old mediums.
The digital magazine is indeed dead, but then again I'd argue that it was a stillbirth to begin with.
Hi all,
Digital Editions can be effectively used to outright or to supplement your web and print model. Interactivity is key, so utilising search tools within the publication, community links, bookmarking and rich media produces exceptional results.
PageSuite (www:PageSuite.com) publish bespoke digital editions for international publishers from Express Newspapers in UK to Metro (UK, Ire, Can) and Examiner (US).
Publishers can customise the user interface, use rich media content, link ad's, analyse traffic, mass email and reach international audiences... digital editions have huge potential. One extremely successful magazine client of ours uses online publishing as a standalone title - http://www.airlineretailnews.com/
If anyone has any specific questions or thoughts, please get in touch!
Thanks,
Ben
People like to collect paper magazines, which is why I don't think they will ever be replaced by e-magazines.
-Nikki-
selling photography 101
1 dollar ebooks
I'm a dotcom refugee who will probably always prefer her magazines in print form. But I'd hoist myself onto that bandwagon if the technology for most digimags didn't make, you know, reading them so difficult. Zinio in particular is the bane of my digimagazine reading existence.
I recently stumbled across a glimmer of hope, though. Philly's local Grid magazine (http://gridphilly.com/) uses nxtbooks as their digi mag provider and it works like a dream. I love me some dead trees, but reading Grid online is actually a good experience.
So, one down, a few zillion to go.
So which digital magazine are you talking about... PC World or PC magazine? I seem to recall that PC World has had a digital edition for quite some time now - I think I got a free subscription right after it came out on Zinio.
I haven't checked out PC Magazine since it went digital. Frankly, in the last couple of years I haven't bought or read any digital or paper tech magazines, since I get all my tech reading done with Google Reader and blog subscriptions.
Greetings All,
In general, I agree with the sentiment that a good website is a better user experience than an emag. However, there is one HUGE issue many are overlooking: the same benefit print mags have (offline portability) is a benefit many will see in emags on ereaders (those B's -- Bathroom, Beach, Bus).
Consumers will most likely prefer the "print" experience on their ereaders and so formatting content for both web, legacy print (for those that want to pay for it) and ereaders seems a likely short-term outcome.
Full coverage of publishing industry @redirectny
I personally think one of the best digital fashion magazines is UNVOGUE.com. I came to know this magazine when it was featured in The New York Times' Fashion & Style section. It's obvious that they aren't working on a huge budget, but I would love to see where they are in about 2 years!
"Dennis, my apologies - I meant PC Magazine not PC World. I've corrected now."
Posted by: Marshall Kirkpatrick
|
June 9, 2009 12:38 PM
Dennis, my apologies - I meant PC Magazine not PC World. I've corrected now.
Maybe HP's MagCloud would be a better idea. Then, those that want it in print, can order it in print.
I invite you to take a look at (IN)SECURE Magazine:
http://www.net-security.org/insecuremag.php
It's a digital magazine covering all aspects of computer security. We've been around for 4+ years. The magazine is completely free and it averages more than 25,000 readers per issue.
Digital magazines, despite all the rhetoric above, all trend towards OVER abundance of interactivity. Clamoring for the reader's attention, eventually they begin to look like left over Vegas video poker machines or a Harry Potter animated newspapers.
Magazines are a physical experience too, not just a "read". I don't want some ad or photo jumping around on the page while I am trying to read. How annoying! Digital magazines will continue to flounder as long as they continue to ignore or discard what was the best in their print ancestors.
Dennis' comment about getting news mostly from Google reader and other feeds made me think more about this. Perhaps soon it won't be financially feasable/advisable to even try "packaging" content or giving it an editorial face/slant? With the whole web 2.0 self-serve mentality, how will any content provider get enough ad or other revenue to matter? Seems that catchy design is no longer desired or feasable...
Unfortunately, one thing that wasn't mentioned in this article is that the platform upon which Avantoure is hosted is called YUDU Pro. You can find out more about YUDU and its features at http://www.yudu.com or at http://pro.yudu.com.
Now, in response to the article and many of the comments, one of the reasons many software providers and magazines fail in the digital space is simply because all they try and do is to mimic the print experience. What many fail to realize is that digital magazines are the future, not because they are cheap and easy, but because you can take advantage of the interactivity that the the digital environment provides.
For instance, Avantoure is not able to only offer well-designed pages, but as you mentioned in the article, it also offers "rich media such as animations, interactive content, music, audio interviews, movie clips and TV commercials." One BIG thing I would add is the ability to hyperlink an entire ad to the website of the advertiser. Studies have shown that this is MUCH more effective that a simple print ad because the reader can instantly find out more. That is what digital magazines are all about is interactivity.
Print magazines aren't going anywhere soon. However, the digital magazine is greatly improved from its original form and compliments the print edition very well.
Holy merciful fun. Has anyone in this conversation even heard the word "accessibility"? Does, for instance, issuu.com offer any support for assistive technology such as a screen reader? I notice there's some keyboard support for "page turning" but the response lags quite noticeably behind the input trigger.
Web pages implemented using web technologies such as HTML and CSS can look very good indeed. The problems for magazine-style are more about template systems that don't allow flexible design over-rides per-issue or per-article. You don't need gunky crap like Flash.
First up, great article and many great comments!
To Richard RE: What magazines people are reading at the moment. If you go to http://nxtbook.com/map/ you can see all of the Nxtbooks people are reading around the world in real time (last month over 1.6 million).
To Yvonne: Thank you for the kind comment re: Grid Magazine. Great client, and we're thrilled to work with them.
To Nick Caldwell RE: accessibility. Nxtbook has an accessible version of our product ( http://nxtbook.com/why/mobile-accessible.php ). There's much more interest for it among our European customers than in the US at the present time (which is probably why we're one of the few companies to offer it), but it's a nice platform from which we've built our Kindle and mobile versions.
Marcus Grimm
Marketing Director
Nxtbook Media
http://nxtbookmedia.com
I love the idea of on line magazines I think we can all learn more faster on the computer.
Not a big fan of digital magazines, Nxtbook in particular. Unless the mag has been designed / laid out for the screen, I don't even open it anymore.
I am not a big fan of online magazines, but just made a purchase for a custom magazine from www.swirlandsip.com because I saw it online first.
I guess it has it's place.
Weather you like it or not I think the trend of digital magazines going mainstream is inevitable. Especially as tablets continue to evolve and gain popularity. I can definitely see myself using something like the techcrunch pad to view a magazine while sitting on my couch or wherever I may be. But I do agree that it doesn't feel right viewing a digital mag on my desktop.
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/04/09/crunchtablet-hits-the-net-a-little-early/
I find it hard to believe that in a day and age of electronic emails, texts, and twitters that people still want to cling to paper magazines.
I am older then probably most of the people in the electronic media, enough so to remember Jimmy Carter. But, I try not to. I was a hold out when it came time to ditch the cassette tape for the CD. As a photographer I finally jut switched over to digital a year ago.
But, even I can see that the wave of the future in media is going to be digital. Newspapers are going out of business, magazines are declining by leaps and bounds, meanwhile the internet has surpassed every other form of information and entertainment.
I guess some people will still want to cling on to their magazine. But I doubt those people still write letters or have a VHS player?
The future lies with Apple. They have a new device on the horizon that destroys Sony's Ereader, Amazon's Kindle and TechCrunch's tablet. World feast eyes on the Apple "itablet". Folks out there, this is the future of digital publishing. Sidebar, right on to http://www.ceros.com I dig their magazine experience. Interactive is the future.
Over and Out,
Critical
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Wait_for_Apples_Tablet_Still_On/551-106772-893.html
Although it may seem that print is on it's way out the door, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that. Although so many print publications are closing their doors, I think there is a real advantage for certain print pubs to really succeed. For many consumers, there's still something much more convenient and relaxing about having something in print and not just holding a computer or other device. I think magazines that really have the chance to succeed are ones that offer a strong web presence, but offer print subscriptions with unique content that isn't on the web.
Intersting...
Well I will had many recent thoughts of howls moving castle. checked out the site and found this. and WOW so soon too ! i have great expectations from past films and definitely am going to check it out.
In the past couple of years, some really smart and rich digital magazines arose in The Netherlands. They're in Dutch of course, but you can still see and feel their potential.
Check out www.bomvol.com (online retailer) and www.iFlymagazine.com (KLM Royal Dutch airlines)
Excellent, most of the commenters are leaders in this area.
and they are all, in their way, correct. Digital Editions are paradigms, like Blogs with newsprint mastheads, and the best are very successful. The comment about having a sence of Design and Style is the real truth though, separates the wannabe from the real thing regardless of medium.
Digital just has higher access and the network enablement for it isnt paper destined for a landfill and therefore more ephemeral. The one thing i always know about a magazine is that I will throw it away eventually, and its gone, but i can find it online, & you know it.
You all miss one thing. That is the incredible value to an advertiser of gaining the look of FULL SCREEN in a wide-screen world. A Magazine is the only way to acceptably use every pixel of a visitor's display.
( and please no LOADING %XX )
People are doing it. www.ctndigital.com
try this one http://madmen.ctndigital.com
easy to read and click index of
http://ctngreen.com/2009/jun/?page=2
brochure http://w.ctndigital.com?page=17
Whatever you magazine guys do, do not make me wait for loading, zoom like a pdf, or show me thumbnail navigation.
http://www.zinio.com/express3?issue=416104506&o=ext
I have found a new service for digital interactive magazines.
This service has a difference from others, it gives a user an online editor, and you can publish your magazine without other programs.
Try it at http://www.joomag.com