• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, June 27, 2008

Zinio is creating an online resource center to educate publishers about digital magazines, including creating digital editions of their own titles. Announced at the Digital Publishing and Advertising Conference in New York, Zinio hopes the new online center will help convince publishers to create digital editions by highlighting their various advantages, including interactive ads and high reader engagement. It will also provide suggestions for best practices and industry standards.

The new site, http://blog.zinio.com, has a number of content areas, including "Ask the Expert," case studies, digital publishing news, Zinio news, events and activities and discussion forums. A section called "New Ideas for Marketers" contains suggestions for online campaigns that can be coordinated with digital magazines, including social networks, email marketing, and word of mouth.

Zinio helps publishers create and distribute digital editions of magazines, typically via email. The digital editions offer a variety of interactive features, including ads that take readers to the advertiser Web site or a customized microsite. The list of magazines producing digital editions with Zinio includes Men's Health, BusinessWeek, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Women's Health and Playboy.

Relish to Produce Two Cookbooks

Relish, the monthly food magazine from Publishing Group of America that is distributed via newspapers, has signed a deal to produce two cookbooks with Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton & Company, which also publishes the Eating Well cookbooks and a variety of regional and themed cookbooks, like Chow Maine. The announcement comes as Relish also revealed plans to raise its circulation from 12 million to 15 million in January; this will mark a 250% increase since its launch in February 2006, with a circulation of 6 million.

Hallmark Will Raise Rate Base

Hallmark plans to raise its rate base from 700,000 to 800,000 with its February/March issue--an increase of about 14%, according to publisher Carol Campbell Boggs. The company will support the increase with promotions across its numerous media channels, including Hallmark stores, TV shows and direct mail. The first three issues of the bimonthly magazine have seen ad pages increase 28% compared to the same period last year.

Women's Health Launches New Sub-based Web Site

Women's Health is launching a subscription-based Web site offering subscribers personalized fitness and nutrition programs. For a subscription fee of $3.50 per week, the Web site, called Fit Coach, will deliver information tailored to fit any body type, fitness level, or goal, with interactive tools and trackers. Content includes customizable workouts and workout guides, personalized weekly meal plans, animated exercise demos, calorie-tracking tools, a food journal and social networking.

Chicago Gets Moda Fashion Gazette

A new fashion magazine is set to launch, targeting the "artistic Chicagoan" with a "fashion-forward" editorial stance covering style and art for an urban audience. It aims to increase Chicago's profile as a center of fashion, according to Editor in Chief Angeliki Garris: "We don't think that Chicagoans should cede magazine fashion leadership to New York. It's time for Chicago to revitalize its heritage as a leader in style and fashion, and we believe that Moda FG can make a meaningful contribution to this artistic initiative." The controlled-circulation magazine will launch with distribution in Chicago's hippest coffee shops and boutiques, as well as restaurants, cafés, gyms, salons and spas.

Meredith Corp. Names Tom Harty CRO

Meredith is expanding the responsibilities of Executive Vice President Tom Harty with a new role, chief revenue officer. In this new assignment, Harty's role will be increasingly external, with an emphasis on senior-level client and agency business development.