L’ipotesi che Newsweek – che già si è fuso col magazine online Daily Beast – vada solo online è già diventata realtà sui siti di news italiani, come la storia dell’ultimo numero del New York Times. Per ora, però, la notizia è un po’ più vaga:
The owners of Newsweek have said they are considering whether to make the weekly news magazine available only in a digital format
Barry Diller, chairman of IAC/InteractiveCorp, told analysts on a conference call that a major problem with Newsweek is with the cost of “manufacturing” a weekly. He then strongly hinted at taking the Newsweek brand to a digital-only format similar to its sister title the Daily Beast.
“I’m not saying it will happen totally, but the transition to online from hard print will take place,” Diller said on a call with analysts after the company’s quarterly earnings were released. “We’re examining all of our options.”
Diller said his team would have a new plan for the future of Newsweek in place by October or early next year.
Tina Brown, the editor-in-chief of Newsweek and the Daily Beast, moved to reassure staff in the wake of Diller’s comments. She said described reports that Newsweek would go digital-only this year as “scaremongering”.
“Barry Diller would like to make it clear that he did not say on the earnings call as reported that Newsweek is going digital in September. He made the uncontroversial, industry-wide observation that print is moving in the direction of digital,” she said in a memo to staff obtained by Politico.