Growing number of media companies are currently considering outsourcing the design and development of their publications. Many service vendors have already set up strength and are targeting this upcoming segment of outsourcing. But the question really is; Should publishers really outsource?

While many publishers are still comtemplating, believing that executive miles away from home will never be able to relate to the local happenings; the vendors are also finding it extremely difficult to relate to the design culture of the customers location. Very few are not considering it and are beginning to adopt innovative means to increase their circulation; which now includes the online circulation as well.

According to MediaFinder.com─an online database of U.S. and Canadian magazines- 383 magazines folded through the third quarter of 2009, which may be significantly less when compared to the same time period in 2008 and 2007, but is still alarming. Does this again justify outsourcing, to reduce costs and making their product sustainable?

A recent whitepaper featured at MPA (http://www.magazine.org/ASSETS/ACC5AFCF184843B9B8A4CE13080DB232/misperceptions-about-magazine-closings-082009.pdf ) suggests that Advertising is the biggest single factor in magazine closings and circulation plays a far less important role. Further emphasizing their point, the recent research report, The Twenty Tweetable Truths About Magazines (http://www.magazine.org/research/twenty-tweetable-truths.aspx), discusses 20 facts that showcase magazine vitality. These include;

-Magazine readership remains steady in an increasingly crowded and noisy media landscape.

Source: MRI Fall Study 2008, Page 7 of MPA 2009 Magazine Handbook

-92% of U.S. adults read magazines.

Source: Experian Simmons, 2009

-New magazines continue to be launched. The latest figures show that magazine launches surged 10% in the first part of 2009 from the prior year.

Source: Professor Samir Husni, author of The Guide to New Magazines; MrMagazine.com

-Magazines appeal to younger adults. Adults 34 and younger read more magazines than adults +34.

Source: MRI Fall 2008, Page 77 of MPA 2009 Magazine Handbook

-Magazines love the Internet. Almost a quarter of all new subscriptions come from the Internet.

Source: MPA Internet Subscription Surveys 2009 edition  

-The top 25 magazines reach more adults and teens than the top 25 prime-time TV programs.

Source: Carat Insight, Nielsen September 2007-May 2008 (Primetime Schedule) MRI Fall 2008; MRI Twelveplus 2008, Page 75 of MPA 2009 Magazine Handbook

-The number of consumer magazine websites grew 78% between 2005 and 2009.

Source: Mediafinder.com, 2009, Page 9 of MPA 2009 Magazine Handbook

The year 2009 seems to have been amongst the best the magazine industry has seen in any recession so far and yet, most publishers are finding it hard to sustain in the economy. With an increase in the popularity of online social networks there has been a change in the way that media is comsumed but undoubtedly Print remains an intergral part of it.

It’s time publishers re-access their business models and allign themselves to compete in the digital age. Instead of thinking about outsourcing their production, its time they start taking online seriously and digitize their publication. Think about the following;

• Digitize your archives and have a FLASH-based version of your magazine. I am sure you know that both ABC and BPA recognize these.

• Sell MULTI-MEDIA ad space on these FLASH versions.

• Get social about it. Make the best use of social media to promote your magazine.

• Charge for premium content. This implies; focus on extremely niche content. Content, that users will treasure and archive.

• Do not think of breaking news or forming a comunity using your publications. Twitter, Facebook and others are already doing it. In case that is what your audience want; turn a part of your website into a content aggregator that automatically retrieves news from various sources and publishes on your website.

• If possible, have a print-on-demand facility. For those readers who love to sit-back and read a print version, can always pay and have a hard-copy delivered to their mailing address.

Its not the time for Print media to shut down, neither is it time for them to outsource. Its time to revolutionize their business model, think online, adopt innovative ways to monetize the digital world and portray legendary value for hard-copies. Doing so, the publication will automatically begin creating niche communities and have loyal customers and in days to come, I look forward to witnessing a growth in the subscription of print magazines.