The Internet, blogs, email marketing and so-called Web 2.0 and social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube are having a profound effect on traditional broadcast and print media. Most publishers are trying to find new ways to engage their Internet-savvy readers and retain or grow their advertising base. One regional publisher that has been launching new Internet initiatives and even redesigning their magazine is Yankee Magazine.

Using a “web site history tool” such as http://www.archive.org/web/web.php, take a look at prior Yankee web sites to see how it compares to their current site. How has the web site evolved? What features have they added that represent a more modern, Web 2.0 approach to customer interactivity? Finally, review a copy of their current print issue available on their web site. How does its design and features integrate with the Yankee web site? (Yankee’s web address is http://www.yankeemagazine.com)

Finally, what is your assessment of what they have done? Do you think it is an effective redesign that will attract advertisers and readers? If you were consulting to the magazine industry, would you recommend a similar approach? Will these efforts be enough to save magazine publishers? Why or why not?

•  Reference scholarly or peer-reviewed sources to support your discussionpoints, as appropriate (using proper citation methods for your discipline).