Google patents customization of magazine content

Information is making the rounds that Google has received a U.S. patent on a process that would allow end users to customize magazines and have content and relevant ads delivered over the web or printed out for them at convenient kiosks similar to photo processing kiosks in drugstores and department stores.

The patent was granted to Google on November 8 and is entitled "Customization of Content and Advertisements in Publications."

Google's application pointed out its perception of shortcomings in existing print magazines, including imprecision (that is, that ads don't always work and readers sometimes find content they don't like or don't care about).

Consumers may purchase a variety of publications in various forms, e.g., print form (e.g., newspapers, magazines, books, etc.), electronic form (e.g., electronic newspapers, electronic books ("e-Books"), electronic magazines, etc.), etc. The publishers define the content of such publications, and advertisers define which advertisements (ads) may be seen in the publications. Since consumers have no control over publication content or advertisements, they may purchase a publication that contains at least some content and advertisements that may be of no interest to them.

Publishers often lack insight into the profiles of consumers who purchase their publications, and, accordingly, miss out on subscription and advertisement revenue due to a lack of personalized content and advertisements. Likewise, consumer targeting for advertisers is limited, and there is virtually no standardization for ad sizes (e.g., an ad that is supposed to be a full page may need to be reduced in size to fit within a publication). Accordingly, advertisers sometimes purchase sub-optimal or worthless ad space in an attempt to reach their target markets. Advertisers also have difficulty identifying new prospective market segments to target because they have limited insight into the desires and reactions of consumers.

There's a long road between getting a patent and realizing its potential. And other content providers and advertisers in other media besides magazines have reason to be concerned, too.

But some commentators have pointed out that, by getting the patent, Google may effectively forestall established magazines from allowing their own users to customize and receive content in print or electronically in a similar way. Either there could be a claim of copyright infringement or magazine publishers might be forced to pay Google a license fee to customize their own magazines for their own customers.

Thanks to TechCrunch.com for the report. We also saw variations and commentary in a number of other blogs and websites.