LOS ANGELES, CA (PRBuzz) September 23, 2010 -- Members of the City and Regional Magazine Association have begun incorporating iPhone apps as an added real time extension to each participating magazine's print messaging and influence.
"Many of our association's members are now able to offer their readers the opportunity to engage with their respective magazines anywhere, any time... an Apple mobile device user can access extensive content databases to check out - in real time - what's happening in their local and regional market places," said C. James Dowden, CRMA's Executive Director.
City and Regional Magazine readers rely on their local/regional publications to supply them with the most current, well-researched and accurate information covering the full gambit of products, services and events available in their respective communities. Dining, entertainment, attractions, nightlife, accommodations, shopping, and local sightseeing, as well as "the 'best of," are among the many categories at the real-time fingertips of both visitor and local iPhone users. This additional resource provides immediate gratification for consumers making daily and immediate decisions about where to go and what to buy.
"With more regional and local CRMA magazines coming on every day...it is predicted that the lion's share of our membership publications will be accessible to iPhone apps in the very foreseeable future," added Dowden. "As a result of this integration, CRMA magazine publishers can now access powerful new channels of engagement and advertising on an equal footing with much larger companies."
In the coming weeks - among other titles - CRMA member magssuch asChicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Diablo, Marin, Honolulu, New Orleans, San Diego, Sacramento, , Missouri, Rhode Island Monthly, and Connecticut, are slated to join the ranks of iPhone app providers - with more coming on board every day.
"D Magazine will soft launch our iPhone app in late September," said Christine Allen, President, D Magazine Partners, based in Dallas, Texas. "We limited our content to restaurants, bars and clubs, and events. It's not a phone book; there are plenty of apps that list everyone and their mother. This list is curated by our editors, so our users get a guided experience of the city. D Magazine's goal is to monetize with restaurant coupons and banner ads. Will it be a mind-blowing source of revenue? Probably not. But it is a powerful extension of what we have created in our dmagazine.com directories, and it advances our mission to show Dallas where to go, what to do, and how to spend it."
Palm Springs Life Magazine publisher, Milton W. Jones - already utilizing the app with his magazine -said he is pleased to have added value to offer his advertisers and readers. "This is a great move forward for us," said Jones, president of Desert Publications Inc., whose properties also include the recently acquired San Diego Magazine. "Our readers can now engage with us anywhere, and can access our extensive content database to see what's happening throughout our world-class travel destination." Jones said that the app increases access to advertisers' directories by tourists and others who have interest in the region.
Another CRMA member, Birmingham Magazine recently launched its iPhone offering, and cites several elements to consider/include as other members begin this process. "Initial response has been great for our medium-sized market: we had close to 1000 downloads the first week, with users spending as much as 16 minutes in the app over just one weekend," said Julie Keith, the magazine's Editor, Vice President Publishing.
It was a time-consuming, demanding four months to initiate;" added Keith. "We currently feature six categories, and are working on adding others; including more social media components, additional sections; and other elements that we expect to complete over the next six to 12 months."
For more information call 310-364-0193, or visit www.citymag.org.
Contact: Delene Garbo
deleneg@jonesagency.com
(760) 325-1437 x231
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