Surfline Suspends Printing Of Water Magazine

josh hunter

• October 24 2008
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Surfline recently decided to suspend printing Water Magazine, a quarterly print publication that it acquired in Summer ’07. Shortly after the acquisition, Surfline CEO Jonno Wells reported that there would be a change in the magazine’s distribution strategy. Water, which sold for ten dollars a copy, planned to reduce waste caused by typical newsstand models and rely more on Surfline’s Web traffic to drive sales directly to consumers, as well as tapping into surf specialty stores.

Through promotional efforts on its highly-trafficked surf forecast site, Surfline reported increasing subscriptions by 20% by December 2007.

Fast forward ten months to October 2008, and the strategy has changed. According to Wells, readers/ users were showing more interest in Water Magazine online [ There's a free, digital version of the magazine available on Surfline's site].

“We suspended Water Magazine in print last week to invest more energy in digital products for now,” Wells said on October 23. “We believe that there will always be a place for a great print media experience as there will be always be a place for a great digital media experience.

“That being said, the growth of surfers consuming the content and ads in Water online was growing at a faster rate then those who wanted it in print. Advertisers wanted more digital from us now too,” he continues. “Like everyone else, we see a consolidation around the leaders in each medium coming. So, our choice was to re-focus our entire team on strengthening our position in digital products right now.”

Wells also says that the inefficiencies associated with traditional print newstand distribution were a major factor in the decision.