Join ASBPE Atlanta on Tuesday, March 25, for a discussion of digital magazine publishing.

Digital delivery using a Published Web Format (PWF) opens a whole new world for publishers, advertisers, and readers that simply does not exist with hard-copy magazines. You’ll learn about tracking, production, delivery, advertising, and editorial issues important to digital publishing.

Any editor, artist, production person, publisher, sales person, marketer, or freelancer is encouraged to attend any ASBPE-Atlanta meeting. Everyone is welcome! Bring your questions and magazines to share.

When: Tuesday, March 25, 2008, 4:30–6:30 pm.
(Beat rush hour traffic and use your work day more effectively!)

Speakers:

• Richard Lebovitz, Editorial Director, Impressions, Nielsen Business Media
• John Llewellyn, President, Lionheart Publishing
• Bob Ludwick, VP of Sales, Texterity
• Haley Shuler, Associate Editor – Digital Media, Impressions, Nielsen Business Media
  

What you’ll learn:

• Who is a candidate for digital publishing
• The cost/investment involved
• Considerations of editors and production
• Others’ experiences with digital magazines
• Benefits of digital publishing
• How to generate new revenue via digital publishing
• How information is gathered and uploaded
• How the digital magazines are designed
• How a finished product looks and is navigated

Location:

Tomas Restaurant
6025 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 9
Norcross, GA 30092

Directions:

From I-285 and Peachtree Industrial, go northeast on Peachtree Industrial approx 3 miles to the split. Take left split, which puts you on Peachtree Parkway. Go to the 3rd light (Jay Bird Alley) and take a left. Restaurant at end of strip center on left. Google map.

Cost:

• $10 for members, faculty, and students;
• $15 nonmembers

Cost includes appetizers, cash bar.

IMPORTANT: MUST RSVP to Cory Sekine-Pettite at cory@lionhrtpub.com to ensure enough food.

MEETING AGENDA

1) Informal networking
2) President's introduction
3) ASBPE news
4) Attendee introduction
5) Open forum Q&A
6) Main program

Labels: Chapter Events, Digital Magazines, Web

How far should we let the bullying go? We were taught as kids to ignore bullies. But a part of me feels like Ralphie in the movie “A Christmas Story.” Sometimes, I think I might go nuts and break into a violent rage against one of the ad agency or marketing department bullies I have to contend with on a weekly basis.

When I was fresh out of college and working at Argus (now Primedia), I was steadfast about my journalistic principles. There was a church, and it was the editorial department. It was located on an entirely different floor from the state, which was the advertising department. The two departments didn’t mix much, or so I thought.

Now I realize maybe I was too young and naive to even realize all of the “favors” and “mentions” that occurred in the world of publishing in 1995.

As time has passed, I’ve grown well aware of the “business” side of the industry. Advertising – and happy advertisers – make the world go ‘round (and keep my paycheck automatically depositing). I am a little more accommodating now to sales reps who ask me to “please include” an advertiser in a story, or “create a sidebar for” or “give a new product entry to” a certain company. I only will do what makes sense, but I am happy and willing to include our loyal advertisers who support the magazine when and where I can.

So here is my question: Where do we draw the line with marketing bullies? You know the ones I am referring to, don’t you? Those people who imply that a company might stop advertising if I don’t do what I’m being asked to do, or who dangle the purchase of an ad over my (or my coworker’s) head, contingent on the inclusion of a new product or news release. Then there’s the marketing jackal who calls me up in a fury because his company was left out of an article, making an implied threat of pulling ads if I don’t somehow make it up to him and his company.

Sometimes, as editors, we are stuck between what we would like to do, and what we have to do. It stinks. My method of operation is usually to be chummy with PR and marketing types, but some folks make it really difficult. How do you handle the bullies of the publishing industry?

Labels: Ethics, Marketing, PR