No media territory is safe

[Keyword: online journalism, citizen journalism, blogging]. There seems to be a raft of activity at the moment that's seeing publishers spreading into other media and other territories.

Firstly, there's the trend towards using web as a platform to invade new markets. The Guardian and The Times have already used their online brands to target America, and now NME, reports Press Gazette, is reported to be following suit.

Secondly, there's the move, particularly by magazines, into using the web to produce other media. Vogue launching its own TV channel is today's example; while teen magazines are desperately trying to keep their readership by taking advantage of mobile media, online forums, and even dropping the printed publication entirely in favour of a web-only operation. The Telegraph's plans for a multimedia 'hub', meanwhile, will see journalists producing video and audio as well as print, while former picture editors at the Washington Post are now becoming 'videographers' (see this interview with a videographer).

And against all this is the opportunity the web presents for publishers to launch online-only publications. Jeremy Tapp of online publisher Magicalia explains the numbers at Journalism.co.uk:

"Publishing online and having a sturdy technological base has allowed Magicalia to launch titles that would not otherwise survive in print and attract several small audience groups that when combined offer a powerful advertising bait.

"Without the cost of distribution, without the cost of paper, we can reach into a smaller niche, She Cycles for example - I don't think that could ever be supported as a newsstand title in its own right, it's not likely that you could launch a woman only cycling magazine in the UK."

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