Digital editions aren't for every magazine

-YOSH .Mediaweek reports that more and more consumer magazine publishers are finding out that the web is the way to the heart of potential subscribers, not the once lauded digital editions which sometimes require subscribers to download software onto their PCs. Unless digital editions are generating respectable revenue, some publishers should just kill it and put all their time and money into their websites. for others, use it as a teaser for special issues. For Hearst's Chuck Cordray the web is the way to go. We just don't agree with him when he said "print has some pretty hard-to-duplicate advertising.” Is he kidding? Wazzup Chucky! Chuck Cordray, vp and general manager, Hearst Magazines Digital Media, said that Hearst found its Web sites are a better way to interact with readers than digital editions are, and so digital editions have dropped in priority. “The experiments we’ve had did not have the same legs as the Web sites,” Cordray said. “For us, we’ve seen most of our growth on highly interactive formats that work best in an online format.” As for attracting ads, he said, “We’re strong believers that print has some pretty hard-to-duplicate advertising.” Mags Web Sites Still More Effective Than Digital Editions [Mediaweek]