My journey over the digital divide brought me to familiar territory this week as we looked at publishing and politics and how both have changed in the era of Facebook and Twitter.
My friends and family know that I love to cook for them during my spare time so the fact that I often visit Epicurious.com, the online home of Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines since 1995, comes as no surprise. Both publications are owned by Conde Nast, the world’s largest magazine publisher.
Epicurious.com is the premier Web destination for food lovers like me. The site has won more awards than any other food site. It uses blogs and video to complement its articles and vast database of recipes, complete with user reviews and ratings. I use it more than many of the cookbooks in my expansive collection.
What I didn’t know is that there were so many of us foodies out there allowing our cookbooks to gather dust while we turn to the Internet for new recipes. The growing popularity of Epicurious.com and sites like it has led some traditional magazine subscribers to dump their subscriptions altogether. In response, Conde Nast is streamlining its approach and putting more of its money behind digital darlings like Epicurious.com (Kinsman, M., 2009). In fact, fans can now access the site’s database of more than 25,000 recipes on their iPhones and iPod Touch. Such accessibility could lead me to make the leap from my tiny BlackBerry Pearl, which I love for its size, for the larger, snazzier iPhone.
Such a phone would also make it easier to remotely access e-mails, like the one I got this week from President Obama’s camp. Not only has the Internet changed how elections are conducted, but also it has changed the way the president of the United States governs and communicates with citizens. Obama has refused to give up his cell phone and has maintained e-mail communications with his supporters through his campaign network.
Obama’s campaign capitalized on the popularity of the Internet to connect with hundreds of thousands of supporters and to mobilize multitudes of volunteers in a new type of grassroots movement that had never been possible in previous elections. Now Obama has asked his campaign supporters to support him again in his efforts to reform healthcare in the United States
“I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical — and I need your help,” the e-mail said. “Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you. Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.”
Whether Obama’s approach will help him in his quest for healthcare reform is not clear. One thing is certain, however. His use of digital media during his rise to the presidency will be studied for years to come as the textbook example of a new kind of campaign driven by people and technology.
References:
Kinsman, M. (2009, February 28). Conde Nast and Others Are on a Push to Finally Make Digital Work. FolioMag.com. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from http://www.foliomag.com/2009/internet-nickels-digital-dollars.
Epicurius.com (2009, April 30) Epicurious.com Introduces iPhone Recipe Application in Apple App Store. Press release. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-30-2009/0005016926&EDATE.
Hi Allison -
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh, with the combination topics of food & politics. All I could think of was having a "root beer summit" with President Obama.
Since it's been some time since you posted this, although I am sure you are aware, Conde Nast recently called it quits on Gourmet, as well as Cookie, Modern Bride, and Elegant Bride. How are you taking the news?
I was personally doing a #journchat on Twitter when this was announced, so I was able to see the reactions of other journalists and PR professionals. A lot of people were very upset by this, but we got into a great conversation about how the magazines could have been saved.
Many originally thought that online editions would have done the trick...but my question was, where do you draw the line between the print edition and the online edition becoming just a website? Since you frequented the site often, what did you think? Would you have continued if it was just a regular site, or did you like the fact that it was a magazine first and foremost?
Diana Abu-Jabar from NPR did a short article on Gourmet leaving. I think that you'll enjoy it since you were a fan of magazine yourself. She talks about how Gourmet was personal to her, too. Maybe you can relate, with your love of cooking as well?
Here's the link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113579998
In the meantime, The Atlantic has a short article that talks about online publishing, asking if Conde Nast is trying to build a Hulu-type site for magazines. Maybe it would have saved Gourmet, too. (Thompson, 2009).
Check them out:
Abu-Jabar, D. (2009, October 7). NPR. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113579998
Thompson, D. (2009, October 5). Are Time Inc, Conde Nast building a Hulu for magazines? The Atlantic. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from http://business.theatlantic.com/2009/10/are_time_inc_conde_nast_building_a_hulu_for_magazines.php
As a side note, I know how I felt during the election. They say that my generation got Barack Obama elected, that he won because of YouTube and Facebook. Personally, that's how I followed every move he made. I voted for him, partially, because of his willingness to bridge the generational divide. It was the first time I felt like someone was trying to reach me, and that my opinion was valuable, not just the opinion of my parents. I've done multiple case studies now all focusing on the election coverage. I think you're right when you say it's going to studied in the future - it's the new Nixon/Kennedy example.