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From Print to Digital: Our New Magazine Content Strategy

Canadians spend upwards of eight hours a day on either mobile, tablet, or desktop, while time spent with print is in decline, down 18% since 2012*.  As part of this growing shift to digital content consumption, our magazine brands have experienced significant digital uptake.

In response to consumers’ growing appetite for digital content, we’re making some key changes to our magazine portfolio to address the ongoing challenges facing the print media industry.  We’re going where audiences are by doubling-down on digital for our magazine brands.

Here’s a summary of the changes:

  • FLARE, Sportsnet, MoneySense, and Canadian Business will be available exclusively on the web and on apps beginning January 2017, with new content posted daily
  • Four consumer magazines will remain in print, offering fresh content digitally through Texture, stand-alone digital editions, websites, and apps:
    • Three magazines will reduce their print frequency as of January 2017: Maclean’s (monthly), Chatelaine (6x per year), and Today’s Parent (6x per year)
    • HELLO! Canada will remain a weekly print publication
    • Texture editions will match the print schedules, except for Maclean’s which will run as a weekly edition on Texture
  • We will focus on our English-language consumer brands, centred on five content pillars: Entertainment, Lifestyle, Parenting, News & Current Affairs, and Sports. As a result, this fall we will:
    • Divest all Business-to-Business publications, as they no longer align with our core focus
    • Divest Châtelaine, LOULOU, and L’actualité, as we narrow our focus on our English-language consumer brands. Recognizing these are storied brands that require dedicated attention to best serve the distinct French market, we are going through a thoughtful process to find strong new ownership

As part of this new strategy, we have committed more than $35 million in capital and marketing to create and promote digital content and transition the business to a digital-first infrastructure.  By accelerating this shift, we can better keep pace with the changes audiences are demanding and continue to deliver the content consumers value on the platforms that best serve them.

*Source: Media Technology Monitor via eMarketer