Ad Age looks at the new (online) PC Magazine

In a piece entitled "What Life Is Like for Titles After They Leave Print", Nat Ives of Advertising Age takes a look at publications that have converted to an online-only presence, including, among others, PC Magazine. The transition was covered in this blog in last November and this January, and Ives' follow-up nearly a year after the transition traces some of the changes the magazine has faced. An excerpt:

That meant an end to the product troubleshooting guides that once worked so well in the magazine, because countless websites, including manufacturers' own, by then offered the same thing. Professional laboratory reviews of gizmos and electronics, on the other hand, drew a lot of traffic and remained costly for competitors to match. A similar evaluation unfolded on the business side, where the reduced sales force all but gave up chasing advertisers from outside core tech categories. Partnerships with outsiders, such as a content deal with Yahoo and keyword ads from Google, became more important.

Interesting developments, and a recommended read!