Digital magazine publishers Hearst and Condé Nast’s joint venture makes moves; Mediacorp shutters print to focus on digital; The Atlantic grows international presence
PubWorX, the joint venture of digital magazine publishers Hearst and Condé Nast, has been busy with acquisitions. Folio reports, “…PubWorX has acquired ProCirc, a Florida-based publishing services company with more than 50 publishing clients across more than 250 titles. The deal also adds more than 18 million readers to its service base.”
The article continues with background information on the deal and PubWorX. “PubWorX launched in February 2016 with the purpose of providing a range of services to small and large publishers in procurement, production, marketing, and circulation management, at scale. Essentially, it’s a one-stop shop that allows publishers to streamline resources and allow them to focus on their core business propositions, like content creation and audience and business development. It also saves publishers money by allowing them to work with fewer vendors. It’s also a unique media partnership, with two of magazine media’s largest private publishing companies teaming up to deliver publishing solutions to potential competitors across a range of categories.”
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“ProCirc’s clients include a list of notable magazine publishers, including Bonnier, Rodale, Outside Magazine, and New York Media.”
“This deal is significant because it further consolidates a shrinking marketplace of publishing services. Magazine media once had a vast network of service providers — from printers to fulfillment houses to circulation management companies, which ranged from small regional companies, to large national operations.”
Next, we move to digital magazine publishers at Mediacorp. The company is shuttering print magazines Style and Style: Men to focus more on digital. Talking New Media reports, “Mediacorp is boosting its digital magazine business with fresher, immersive content and more videos on its digital platforms across web, mobile and social.”
“Mediacorp’s Style brand will also migrate most of its content to its digital portal styleXstyle as the brand increases its focus on a millennial audience with fresh fashion, beauty and wellness content. The April copies of Style and Style: Men magazines will be the last of their print editions but Style will publish special supplements in print throughout the year around weddings, timepieces, accessories and other areas that appeal to contemporary men and women.”
The article continues with a look at Mediacorp’s repositioning. “Mediacorp has been progressively repositioning its magazine brands from print to multimedia. Manja, its highly popular Malay print title, has evolved into a weekly television programme offering the latest entertainment and lifestyle-related content including tips and advice for women in the Malay community. 8 Days, Mediacorp’s flagship entertainment title which first hit newsstands in 1990, went digital-first earlier this year and is fast growing page views and unique visitors.”
In other news, The Atlantic is expanding for more worldwide access. Publishing Executive reports, “The Atlantic today announced a major expansion across the Atlantic, with plans for 10 editorial and business employees to fill a new office in London. The initiative, announced by Atlantic President Bob Cohn, will help the brand deliver its journalism, live events, and marketing partnerships to larger audiences worldwide.”
“The Atlantic will hire writers and editors to cover pressing global news with a focus on Europe, and staff to manage audience development, events, communications, and sales and marketing. In recent months, record numbers of readers have sought out The Atlantic to understand what’s happening beyond the headlines. Global readers currently account for nearly 30 percent of the 33 million unique monthly visitors to TheAtlantic.com.”
Growth and acquisitions are key elements for growth that digital magazine publishers seek in the digital age. We applaud the move towards consolidated outsourcing which of course is a business model we’ve been promoting for more than two decades. We are proud to provide comprehensive integrated consulting, technology and marketing services to the 20+ organizations that are our gold member clients. If you’d like to discuss how we can help grow your business by letting you focus on content generation and sponsorship development, please contact Julie to set up a 30 minute call so we can chat.
