• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, May 9, 2008

The Barnes & Noble Web site, www.bn.com, is teaming up with Zinio to sell digital magazine subscriptions alongside the print formats. The deal covers over 1,000 magazine titles, offering discounts of up to 90% off the newsstand price. The companies are also offering single-copy digital sales of 12,000 back issues from hundreds of titles. Print order fulfillment is being handled by M2 Media Group.

Zinio produces digital magazines that can be "paged" through like their print versions. But with the addition of interactive content on the "pages," they allow the reader to follow links from articles and advertising to Web destinations. Subscriptions to Zinio's digital magazines are usually delivered via email. In 2007, www.bn.com began using Zinio's technology to offer Web users a "See Inside" feature for books; the "See Inside" feature will now extend to magazines as well.

Some of Zinio's bigger magazine partners include Men's Health, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Car and Driver, U.S. News & World Report and BusinessWeek. In 2007, Zinio was acquired by Gilvest LP, which also owns VIV Magazine, an online-only lifestyle magazine targeting women with health, beauty and travel content. The magazine is made available to readers through the Zinio service.

Rich Maggiotto, CEO of Zinio, said: "BN.com and Zinio will take the reading experience to the next level by delivering high-quality digital products quickly and in a format suited to the readers' needs and interests." The partnership with a major magazine retailer is one of the first big strategic moves by Zinio since Jeannie Mullen, formerly at OgilvyOne, joined the company in February as global executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

ASME Gives Backpacker Top Award

The American Society of Magazine Editors named Backpacker magazine the winner of the 2008 award for General Excellence in the 250,000-500,000 category. The title, published by Active Interest Media, was praised by judges for the variety and quality of its content, within its special interest niche: "Smartly designed, with field-tested gear advice and regionally specific trail and event guides, Backpacker is the essential magazine of outdoor adventure."

TV Guide Appoints Birnbaum EIC, Tomashoff Exec Editor

TV Guide magazine announced this week that Debra Birnbaum has been named its new editor in chief, while Craig Tomashoff will become the new executive editor. Previously, Birnbaum served as executive editor with responsibility for the brand's cross-platform content integration; she was also responsible for popular new franchises like the Online Video Awards. Tomashoff previously served as the magazine's West Coast bureau chief, and will continue working in Los Angeles.

  Meredith Gets "Early Show's" Syler for Parents TV

Meredith Corporation has snagged Rene Syler, formerly an anchor on CBS News' "The Early Show," for its new Parents TV on-demand cable channel. Here, Syler will host the channel's first long-form show, "It Moms," beginning in June. The show will focus on real mothers who balance full social, professional and family lives. Syler will also compose a video blog for the accompanying Web site. Parents TV launched on Comcast's On Demand service last year, drawing on the editorial and technical expertise of Parents, Family Circle, American Baby, and Meredith's in-house Video Solutions division. The channel's content is also available on the Internet at www.parents.tv and www.parents.com.

More Musical Chairs at Conde Nast

Most of the big consumer magazine publishers have been shuffling personnel in the first half of 2008, and Conde Nast is no exception, with a second round of senior personnel changes. In the latest change-up, Jason Wagenheim, formerly executive director of corporate sales, is becoming associate publisher of Vanity Fair, replacing Agnes Chapski. His old role will be filled by Tom Hartman, formerly the vice president and publisher of Gourmet, who is actually getting an expanded version of Wagenheim's old role, with a more senior title: vice president of corporate sales. Hartmann's previous post at Gourmet will be taken up Nancy Berger, the vice president and publisher of Allure. Closing the loop, Berger's old post will be taken up Agnes Chapski, who is leaving Vanity Fair and will be replaced by Wagenheim.