On a platform where information is so bountiful, free and accessible just by a few keystrokes on search engines, the Web can make it difficult to filter out the best from the good and the good from the bad. The list below gives the best magazine industry news sites for those wanting to enter the field, find growth opportunities and expert perspectives, or simply stay informed.
FolioMag.com
Folio is a Web site that caters directly to magazine industry professionals. It offers magazine publishing news, helpful blogs and articles, job postings, webinars, events and a list of leading service providers and vendors.
Magazine.org
Magazine Publishers of America (MPA) is the industry association for consumer magazines and has been around since 1919. The site provides guidance, research tools and news that inform and educate members about changes in technology, law and industry practices. MPA also champions the rights of editors and publishers before courts and governments.
MediaBistro.com
Media Bistro is one of the most popular sites used by freelance writers and media professionals. It provides a compilation of important daily newsfeeds about the magazine industry, as well as classes, job postings, tools for freelancers, a community and helpful articles about what editors and different titles do in big name companies. AvantGuild members pay a $55 membership fee annually, which gives them a personal home page, discount to the LexusNexus database, more access and further benefits.
WomensWearDaily.com
Also WWD.com, Women’s Wear Daily is a leading site for fashion, beauty and retail news—a must read for those working for fashion magazines. It also gives trend reports and business news. Clicking on the “Media” tab on the top right, one will be led to Memo Pad, which gives short and informative industry news postings on big glossies like Vogue, Lucky and Martha Stewart Living.
AdAge.com
Ad Age is an authority for advertising and marketing news. Magazine publishers read the site frequently to stay updated since advertising revenue is the bread and butter for publications. Free e-newsletters are available, but further access requires a subscription fee. However, students and educators can receive a 55 percent discount for dual print and online subscriptions. This deal is $29 for 13 weeks.
MinOnline.com
MinOnline offers up-to-the-minute news, upcoming events, media jobs, training and awards for the magazine/media industry. Awards include “Hottest Launches,” “Sales Executives of the Year,” “Integrated Marketing” and more.
If keeping up with all of these magazine industry news sites takes away too much time, choose one to read (in addition to a general news site) and stick to it by making it a daily morning routine. Though it may seem like a chore at times, consistency and diligence always pays off as Benjamin Franklin wisely put it: "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest."
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