Canadian Geographic increases to 8 issues with themed travel books

Canadian Geographic is increasing its frequency from 6 to 8 issues a year, according to Media in Canada. The two extras will be themed issues of Canadian Geographic Travel, with cover months of November and May. A new companion website for travel issues will feature their "Canadian Atlas Online" and be available through www.canadiangeographic.ca. Canadian Geographic has a paid circ of roughly 220,000 with 40% of its readers living in Ontario.

One possibly troubling aspect is that, in the past, when these were special sections, they were branded on the cover as having been brought to readers by an advertiser, in this case Visa. It's not clear whether the two new themed issues will also be selling cover exposure to advertisers in this way.

The news of the expanded frequency comes less than a week after the announcement that André Préfontaine has taken over from John Thompson as President of Canadian Geographidc Enterprises and Publisher of Canadian Geographic.