Magazines Ontario receives funding to create "digital newsstand" for its members

The Magazines Ontario division of Magazines Canada has received a grant from the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s (OMDC) Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund to help fund the creation of a digital newsstand.

The program, called Digital Discovery, will allow member magazines – with a particular emphasis on those from Ontario – to create digital editions of their titles, with the aim to generate additional revenue and increase readership.

“This exciting project will allow magazine creators to take more homegrown content to the world,” said Magazines Ontario /Canada CEO Mark Jamison. “This is truly a public-private partnership because with each dollar invested by the Ontario government today, the industry will immediately invest another $3. The return begins right away.”

The two-year project will involve Magazines Canada engaging a seasoned service provider for the project, to help its members access new markets, improve customer satisfaction and keep pace with trends in new media and mobile technology.

The total granted to 16 projects under the program amounts to over $3 million, according to releases from Magazines Canada and the OMDC. The amount granted to Magazines Ontario has not been specified.