Rogers's Pelley intent on using magazines as feedstock for its other media

Pelley

The National Post feature on the weekend largely focussed on Keith Pelley's strategy for Rogers Communications' magazine division. The outcome will probably be to treat the magazine division as a content farm for Rogers' other media -- radio, television and various sports assets.

“I am focusing more on publishing, because a lot of our strong brands, and the opportunities, lie there ....You’re selling it as more than just as a print magazine. You want to move it towards selling it as a contented, branded company,” Mr. Pelley says, adding that that “in the coming months” Chatelaine will move into merchandise through an association with The Shopping Channel (another Rogers Media property).[As it turned out, Chatelaine launched its own organic coffee brand today.]

Pelley also says that, if he has his way (and it seems clear he intends to) he wouldn't hire someone to write for a Rogers magazine if he couldn't put them on radio and television, too.

He wants the public to encounter Rogers’ brands at every turn and the magazine division offers a wealth of source material for that endeavor.

[Note to Rogers magaziners: Brush up your multimedia presentation skills.]

[photo: Peter J. Thompson, National Post]