Hoping to offset the drastic decline in magazine readership, five US publishing giants today announced the launch of a digital reading platform that they hope will entice users to read their publications on electronic devices, according to dpa. Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp and Time Inc said they hoped to include other publishers" content in the yet-unnamed initiative, which is aimed at creating a common reading and publication platform that would work on multiple devices from smartphones to laptops and from tablet computers to electronic readers like Amazon"s Kindle device. Though content will initially be limited to magazines, the aim is to quickly bring newspapers, comic books and other formats into the fold. The project is expected to launch in 2010, but in the announcement the companies did not give a date for its debut. The format will emphasize visual quality and retain the distinctive look of each print publication, the venture"s interim managing director, Time Inc"s John Squires, said. However, it will also incorporate videos, games and social networking, all while allowing the publication to be read like a magazine in which pages can be turned with a flip of a finger. "The genesis of this idea is to build a fully featured kind of immersive e-reading application that can render our content beautifully on those devices that come to market," said Squires. "For the consumer, this digital initiative will provide access to an extraordinary selection of engaging content products, all customized for easy download on the device of their choice," said Squires. "Once purchased, this content will be "unlocked" for consumers to enjoy anywhere, anytime, on any platform."
