Among the topics covered by Professor Samir Husni in his latest blog posts is the relative paucity of magazine launches thus far in 2006. He's not worried. He ascribes the fall-off to three factors.
First, magazines are not innovating. Instead, they are in a period of copying one another. Second, only a few companies control the newsstands, especially the ultra-valuable checkout-counter
pockets. And third, more magazines than ever are dependent on a so-called "print-plus" strategy. Husni: "Companies are spending more money on expanding their Web sites and creating additional
content for their already established titles. Anytime we focus on our established 'brands,' the new ones have to wait. So, does this mean that the light at the end of the tunnel is actually a train,
whose arrival industry critics have been predicting for years? Heck no. Have faith, the new launches will rebound. I have seen this happen way too many times and for different reasons in my 25-year
career." The item is second from the top at Husni's site and is titled "Slow Start."
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