With these tough economic times everyone it seems is finding a way to utilize what resources they have to not only improve the bottle line but raise the bar for their customers. I can tell you that I love getting magazines, its like a little present in the mail just for me, but to be honest I am finding it a tough justification to pay the cost. Publishers are feeling the same way. With newspaper and magazine sales down 50% publishers are seeking new media to get their news into your hands. 

With the big time sales of E-ink readers such as the Amazon Kindle I & II and the Sony Reader, the man behind the pages of everything from Cosmopolitan to Esquire and the San Francisco Chronicle has put into action a large format wireless E-ink reader of his own. Kenneth Bronfin, exec at Hearst says:

 ”I can’t tell you the details of what we are doing, but I can say we are keenly interested in this, and expect these devices will be a big part of our future,” 

All this comes from the new technology, the money flow is not as flowing and business still want to maintain the integrity and following while cutting the cost of printing. The publishing industry is a $300 billion dollar industry, with most of the income going back into the printing of newspapers and periodicals. Within the year Hearst plans to release a black and white version of the new reader and a large format high resolution model that folds as well as allows for full page reading and ads to be seen. 

What Hearst and its partners plan to do is sell the e-readers to publishers and to take a cut of the revenue derived from selling magazines and newspapers on these devices. The company will, however, leave it to the publishers to develop their own branding and payment models. “That’s something you will never see Amazon do,” someone familiar with the Hearst project said. “They aren’t going to give up control of the devices.”

I love that they are not afraid to let go and allow others to embrace this idea, they know that they have a handle on the market and with this new technology things can only grow and become better . Love this idea. 

What do you think, are E-ink readers better than the paper (non-green) version? Which would you buy?

Visit the Hearst Article

 

Or get your  Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today or a grouping of many other great publications and newspapers. Plastic Logic has launched a Reader that is thin, lightweight and about 8×10″ to satisfy your craving for magazine heaven. 

“We want Plastic Logic Reader users to have all the content that they need and want at their fingertips,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “With today’s announcements we are amassing one of the largest collections of content available for an eReader and we’re just getting started. We intend to create a large and dynamic marketplace to support the Plastic Logic Reader.”

What eReader.com and Fictionwise.com are thrilled with the new addition, as they are the forefront for ebook downloads. This will bring the ebook market into the big time. The large, clear and clean screen is most appealing those in business. It is one of those gadgets that you can’t leave the office or the house without. What iPods and MP3 players did for the CD, this will do to journals, newpapers and magazines. If you are like me, when you have a long flight you use that time to catch up on your reading. Carrying on 25 magazines could be the new fines, but the ability to keep all that gossip on one slim gadget. Fantastic. 

John Ridding, Chief Executive of the Financial Times, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Plastic Logic to provide our award winning journalism through its innovative new eReader. Digital distribution is integral to the FT’s strategy as we seek to offer our customers the opportunity to consume FT content across any channel that suits them.”

It all about reaching you clients where they are and providing a product that will enhance the service they already get from you. To make a better product that can do more everyday is the key to a successful sale. In every one’s attache case, MacBook Pro, iPhone/Blackberry, Plastic Logic Reader, Kindle, and Wallet. Nothing else needed.