Uptick in new technology spending reported for U.S. magazine publishers

Investment in new technology in magazine publishing is taking a big leap forward, after four years of decline, according to a story in Folio:, reporting on its 2013 manufacturing and production technology survey. Budget for new technology in 2012 was a mean of $47,000, double that of the year before. 

Twenty-six per cent of b-to-b publishers reported they increased their spending in 2012 and 24% of consumer publishers. Fewer said they were cutting back, which was a trend in recent years. 

Of those who plan to increase their investments in the coming year, 20% of consumer and 17% of b-to-b plan to increase in the range of 10 to 29 per cent.

"While print is still the dominant platform for revenue, not to mention readers, publishers are making significant investments in increasing numbers to overhaul their digital platforms to accommodate and facilitate mobile use."

Some other highlights of the research:

• Print, by far, is still the primary delivery platform for paid content, with a mean of 92 percent of consumer publishers and 80 percent of b-to-b respondents. 
• Only 8 percent of consumer publisher respondents say they offer paid Web content, while b-to-b publishers report slightly more than double the amount of paid content offerings.
• Only 4 percent of consumer publishers offer paid content on tablets, while 7 percent of b-to-b publishers do so. Smartphones are even less—only 2 percent of b-to-b and consumer publishers indicate this is a paid content platform.
• 87% of companies responding do their production and design work in house; 91% of b-to-b publishers do so.
• Ad portal system use remains steady, with about one-third of consumer publishers and a quarter of b-to-b.