Leaping From Web 2.0 to Paper

Posted by Joe Panettieri

I’ve spent the last few weeks immersed in Web 2.0 technologies, social networks, RSS feeds … and the list goes on. We continue to build out our digital businesses. But during three key moments today, I rediscovered my love for magazines. First, I thumbed through a custom magazine we recently produced CompTIA, which traced the organization’s 25 years of service to the IT industry. Then the latest edition of TechIQ, our magazine for the IT channel, hit my desk (it’s a great read but I won’t brag too much). And finally, I stumbled upon the latest edition of Money magazine. Yes, Money magazine. I hate to admit it, but I still love that magazine’s ability to tell me what I already know about my pathetic saving and spending habits.

Dog Days of August? Hardly

Posted by Al Perlman

It’s supposed to be the dog days of August, but not only is it quite chilly in New York, it’s also busy as can be for our team. This week Joe P. has been out at an Avnet reseller conference in Colorado and is heading to Los Angeles for a series of meetings with channel executives.

Gary will be in San Diego Thursday, moderating a channel-oriented roundtable for Tech Data. On the MuniWireless front, we are in the midst of releasing our first Business Models research report, which we think will be extremely beneficial for the industry. And we are starting our marketing for our largest conference of the year in Silicon Valley Oct. 21-23. Plus, we’re editing the next issue of TechIQ, compiling research for the MuniWireless Buyer’s Guide and creating some exciting new product extensions for TechIQ and MuniWireless.

Who Cares About Portfolio?

Posted by Al Perlman

Another interesting thing going on in the magazine world is the inordinate amount of attention being paid to Portfolio, the new business magazine from Conde Nast. It’s the Paris Hilton of the publishing world, a well-financed, highly visible celebrity that hasn’t done much yet other than call attention to itself. Perhaps it’s because I’m in the media business and because I’m in New York that I see so much stuff about Portfolio, but, really, does anyone outside of those two circles really care? Do I think Portfolio has any chance of success? Nope. It’s way too print-oriented, it’s expensive to produce and, most importantly, it doesn’t serve an unfulfilled need for a growing or underserved community. I learned long ago that publishing is about the audience-delivery business, and Portfolio will have a tough time trying to establish a need or desire for its targeted audience to read it on a regular basis, especially with so many people turning away from magazines in general.

Our Summer Issue of Tech IQ

Posted by Al Perlman

The Summer issue of TechIQ magazine goes to the printer today. Joe did the cover story on 90 Days to Managed Services. We’ve all been in the channel a long time and we’ve seen a lot of shifts in business models. In my view this movement toward managed services is the real deal. The key is not just that it makes sense for the VARs and their customers, but it’s got a lot of very smart people creating very smart packages behind it. In the past few weeks I’ve been able to spend time with Bob Godgart at Autotask and Gavin Garbutt of N-able and I’ve been extremely impressed with their passion, commitment and belief in this market. When you talk to VARs who’ve made the transition, they sound confident because they’ve seen it work and they know they have the strength of a burgeoning industry behind them. The printed version of TechIQ goes in the mail next week, but of course we are updating several times a day at www.techIQmag.com

Goodbye Network Computing

Many of you probably saw the announcement last week that CMP was laying off more than 200 people and folding several publications. Many of you probably also realize that most of the team here at Microcast worked at CMP at one time in their careers. The CMP announcement hurt a little because some of my friends got laid off and one of my former publications, Network Computing, is being folded. I wrote the original business plan for Network Computing and was the original publisher. It’s also where I met Gary Bolles, my partner here at Microcast. I don’t have any particular insight into what’s going on at CMP, but I know that the President of CMP, Steve Weitzner, is a solid, thoughtful executive and he’s got his hands full trying to reposition the company in the face of the near-collapse of print advertising.