There has never been a better time to be in the magazine media business. Conference , “The Magazine Media Playbook for Digital Success” recently presented in New York by MPA, the Association of Magazine Media. where speaker after speaker sought to demonstrate that, despite a chaotic business environment, in this multi-channel, multi-platform world, there is opportunity everywhere for magazine-branded content. In fact, the print and online audience for magazine media is actually up 3% from last year, while paid subscriptions are up 1%. Not at Swipe 2.0, MORE >>

To get a better sense of the situation I pulled StumbleUpon referral figures from 2010-2012 for a group of 47 news and content sites that we work with at Define Media Group , primarily magazine brands. StumbleUpon Channels and Paid Discovery are good opportunities to take advantage of, and I think their latest iPhone and iPad apps offer an excellent experience for non-desktop users. Related posts: Pinterest Traffic to Magazine Sites Up 141% But Figures Still Modest. Declines in StumbleUpon Traffic: 2012 vs. 2011. StumbleUpon Traffic Declines: Three-Year Trend. Social Medi MORE >>

bought my wife an IPad 2 for Christmas. My wife loves her IPhone but kept discounting the need for an IPad. She kept saying “So what is the big deal about the IPad that would make me want one?” Magazine article titled: 5 Ways to Be Known as a Visionary  states:  If you’re a blogger, consultant or an author, being seen as a groundbreaking thinker (a visionary) can have a direct payoff. Creating good content and a strong following is hard work. Many have learned this lesson and many more are still learning. Just ask any major media outlet. An Inc. ikoni. MORE >>

The debate prompts me to recount the main points of my recent column at EContent magazine , which explores why trust is also the most fundamental competency required by all the players that make up the digital business ecosystem. Read the full column at EContent Magazine here. Featured Mobile Commerce iPad iPhone Mobile payment securityThe widespread adoption of mobile commerce services enabling transfers, transactions and payments creates a requirement for stronger security. Read Joy’s recent column HERE. ). Related articles. MORE >>

It’s fitting that Homer Simpson’s wisdom serves as my foundational retort to a recent CNET video post that showed a baby in fits of frustration when trying to figure out how a magazine works. The child’s exasperation apparently came after having regularly used her mother’s iPad. In her homemade video, Costanza shows how frustrated her baby gets when trying to swipe images in a print magazine in the same fashion she would on a tablet. Kids mimic these learned behaviors, such as iPad use (i.e., Frankly, my biggest concern would be having my baby barf on my $700 iPad. MORE >>