When it comes to magazines’ companion websites, most thoughtful publishers have successfully solved the “shovelware”
problem–they no longer just dump their content online. Instead,
the better magazine-related sites have become useful, interactive entities in
their own right, offering Web-native experiences. (Even if no one is paying to have that experience.)

Now, with the advent
of the iPad and other tablets and e-readers, publishers are facing the
same issue all over again. The tablet, with its touch screen and rich color, is “magazine-like.” But it’s not a magazine; this is another new medium, with its own native experience. A tablet edition will be–or should be–different from a print edition and different from a companion website.

Publishers are just starting to ponder this. We think it means taking a hard look at your editorial strategy and identity, and deciding what works best in each medium. Maybe you’ll discover that the tablet and/or a website, not print, are the best media for your brand. How are you sorting this out?