Few magazines have committed to the web, says Ad Age editor

There is a major gap between what magazine publishers say about their websites and the reality of those websites, according to Jonah Bloom, editor of Advertising Age. In a column (unfortunately behind a pay wall), he said:

Major magazines’ corollary websites still account for only a tiny percentage of all web activity. Very few magazines — the exceptions being ESPN, National Geographic, Real Simple and The Economist — can be considered brands that have established much meaning beyond their printed forms. Many think they have. Major publishers have repeatedly told me that their titles are also powerful brands …

But magazines are not marketed like brands. They spend little advertising themselves to either consumers or the [advertisers] that support them, and when they do, their messages tend to be focused on the content of the publication . . .

Few have committed to the web, despite protestations to the contrary. There are still top-50 magazines whose landing pages are essentially ads for their print versions.

[via Fine on Media, Business Week]