Hearst Distributes 300,000 Digital Editions Monthly

Nookmags

As all eyes turn to Amazon today in anticipation of the launch of a tablet device, Hearst is touting its current success on the existing digital distribution platforms.

The company says it has surpassed 300,000 paid digital circulation on its magazine brands across iOS, Nook Color and the Zinio Newsstand. Hearst distributes most of its titles -- including ELLE, Esquire and Marie Claire -- on these platforms. The company does not offer complementary digital editions to its print subscribers, so this distribution represents device-based reach. The circulation number includes monthly digital edition subscriptions as well as single-copy sales.

According to a report in All Things D, major magazines are lining up to support the Amazon tablet. Hearst, along with Conde Nast and Meredith, ia expected to announce that its titles will appear on the device.

After a rocky start on the iPad nearly two years ago, magazine publishers appear to be getting their footing on digital devices. Early buyers often resented paying a premium single-issue price in Apple's original model for the App Store. Since Apple finally instituted a subscription model, circulation of magazine apps on that device has increased substantially.

The Barnes & Noble Nook Color has proven to be a surprisingly effective distribution vehicle for digital editions. According to reports, many titles say their Nook sales rival -- or exceed -- their iPad sales.

At a case study presentation on the tablets at the OMMA Global conference in New York on Monday, Wired's associate publisher Keith Grossman said the introduction of the subscription model into the iOS app store changed the game for publishers. After magazine sales had begun dipping on the device, the new model revived user buy-in considerably. Moreover, user feedback became considerably more positive once the single-copy model had a more affordable alternative.

Like Barnes & Noble, Amazon is expected to be magazine-friendly in its new device. B&N has been constructed a Newsstand online and on the Nook specifically for magazines and newspapers. In its next iOS version, Apple will follow suit and create a newsstand where users can peruse, buy and store their subscription offerings.

  

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