Online Subscriptions Spur Print Magazine Launch for Bloomberg

Contrary to popular belief, online content doesn’t have to cannibalize print. In fact, in some cases, it can spur new print publications. This week,

Contrary to popular belief, online content doesn’t have to cannibalize print. In fact, in some cases, it can spur new print publications.This week, Bloomberg LP announced plans to publish a glossy, 32-page print magazine during the Republican and Democratic national conventions. The publication, called Bloomberg Insider, will pull content from the media conglomerate’s various website properties, including Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Businessweek, and its latest brainchild, Bloomberg Government (which has an annual subscription plan of $5,700 a year).The publication is scheduled to have an initial print run of 15,00o copies per day, and a digital version will be available on Bloomberg.com, Businessweek.com, through Bloomberg’s mobile platforms, and to subscribers of Bloomberg Government (a.k.a. BGov). There are also plans to possibly turn the print/digital publication into a weekly magazine.We’ve written about news sites that have launched iPad editions, and our sister site, Subscription Site Insider, has a great case study on another paid content site launching a print pub. This seems to be a growing trend, perhaps because publishers are realizing that online/desktop content is most conducive to large databases and research (like BGov), but readers still want lean-back-friendly content and context.Still, the move might be risky for Bloomberg. The company reportedly spent $100 million just to launch BGov and the company is mum on current subscriber rates or revenues. Yet, it’s encouraging to see a subscription site launching new print and digital products smartly, i.e., tying their launch to a limited-time event in order to test market receptivity and determine which platform might be most welcome.

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