• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, May 5, 2006

Disney announced the launch of Wondertime--a new magazine targeting mothers with newborns and toddlers--on Wednesday. The magazine focuses on "the joy, not the job, of parenting," according to Glenn Rosenbloom, president of Disney Publishing, who characterized it as "more thoughtful, more reflective" than other parenting magazines. With sensitive pieces on nurturing infants' emotional, physical, and mental development, the magazine will pursue a well-heeled and well-educated demographic at a critical time in their lives. The magazine's somewhat more sophisticated feel is reflected in its spare design and a colorful but restrained aesthetic.

Rosenbloom described the "typical" reader: "She's in her mid-30s, she's extremely well-educated, and her median household income is well above average--$65,000-75,000. We expect this to be a mass reach magazine, with an audience comprised of some mothers who work full-time, some part time, some from home, and some who are not working. There are a significant number who have put their careers on hold to raise their children."

Of course, new magazine launches are bound to come under scrutiny as the larger consumer magazine market experiences continuing turmoil, but Rosenbloom was confident: "Some might say the future of print is not necessarily rosy, but we believe the parenting category is extremely vibrant. All you have to do is look at the advertising dollars that were spent in the category of parenting magazines in 2005 versus 2004, and you'll see the category enjoyed a 12 percent increase in ad dollars, and ad paging was up 5.5 percent. So it's clear that parenting magazines are bucking the larger trends in the universe of magazines."

PC Magazine Gets New Look

On Monday, PC Magazine unveiled a new design that's meant to keep the venerable computer publication looking fresh. With a rate base of 700,000 and estimated monthly readership of 5.1 million, the tech geek's Bible is still a force to be reckoned with--but it faces increasing challenges from proliferating print publications dealing with computers--and, of course, the Internet itself.

In the new design, the front of the magazine deals with new products--including reviews, tips, and "Pipeline," a forward-looking tech section predicting what's next. A section called "Buying Guides" gives PC Magazine's purchase recs, and "First Looks," which delivers exclusive first reviews, now has a spiffy new format.

The mag's feature well will continue to offer long-form stories on technology, business, and culture. Meanwhile, the end-of-book features shorter, bite-sized articles on things like small business computing and security, as well as regular advice columns on hardware and software.

Foodies? Try Drinkies, Says Imbibe

A new bimonthly national magazine devoted to the world of beverages, Imbibe launched Tuesday. Covering the old standbys--wine, spirits, beer, coffee, tea, and a great deal more--with a newsstand price of $4.95, Imbibe aspires to join the ranks of successful lifestyle magazines dealing with food, culture, and travel. To head the publication, Imbibe Media has brought aboard Karen Foley, formerly editor of Fresh Cup Magazine.

Metro New York Gets New Publisher

As of May 15th, Metro New York will have a new managing director and publisher. Daniel E. Magnus. Magnus was previously vice president of advertising and director of business development at the Robb Report, where he handled advertising and business development. Magnus has also worked for Bloomberg, "This Old House," Esquire, GQ, and Harper's Bazaar.

Blender Magazine Appoints New Ad Sales Team

Blender, the hip music title owned by Dennis Publishing, is getting a new ad sales team, with Hugh Jamieson appointed as ad director and Rob Miller named account manager. Jamieson previously served as senior accounts manager at Maxim, the popular lad mag also owned by Dennis.

Budweiser Taps Fader for Special Events Series

Budweiser Select is partnering with Fader Magazine, which covers the world of emerging music, to simultaneously promote new artists and the Budweiser brand. The series of special events in New York City will also include performances by well-known musicians, and will be reported in the pages of Fader. The first event on April 21st featured a tribute to jazz great Nina Simone and will be detailed in Fader's July/August issue.

Meredith Expands to Canada, Spain

The Meredith Corporation announced it is launching two new foreign versions of American titles: a Canadian edition of More, and a Spanish edition of Diabetic Living. In Canada, Meredith entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Transcontinental, Inc., a leading Canadian media company. In Spain, Meredith partnered with Globus Comunicacion to introduce the Spanish version of Diabetic Living. The agreement will also bring how-to books in the Better Homes and Gardens product line to the shelves of Spanish bookstores.

Postal Rate Hike Draws Call for Reform

The postal service's latest rate hike is evidence of pressing need to enact legislative reform, according to Gordon Hughes, president and CEO of American Business Media. The postal reform bill has already been passed by both houses of Congress, Hughes said, and just needs President Bush's signature to take effect. Rather than raising more revenue for the postal service, Hughes warned, rate hikes might have the opposite effect--with high prices forcing publishers out of the mail stream altogether.