[rl-cw]

I have just launched new digital publication for the construction industry - Contractors World
We welcome suggestions for editorial features and contributions - site reports, technical articles, health and safety features, etc.
In April 2010 we are also planning a Tower Cranes Safety @ Work Conference to be held in Munich during Bauma 2010. If anyone is interested in presenting a paper then please contact myself direct. For those interested in attending the free conference, at this time you can register your interest with myself.

Please forward details of the magazine to anyone with an interest in the construction and related industries.

Now, to the discussion topic. Research indicates a growing preference for digital publications against traditional printed versions. I would welcome comments, etc.

 

[Cdat]

If info is free, it is always good. If you charge, you'll get someone upset, who'll start a blog and undermine you. Have a care what you attempt to do. If you get too much traffic, you'll need to get ad's to maintain your site and then people will stop using your site due to all the ads. Don't believe me? Look at the newspaper industry...

The printed word is on the way out. I have hundreds of books on my industry yet I also have it all on a couple of hard drives. Space will dictate the future of the 'written' word.

 

[Cdat]

Ok, just reviewed your September issue. Half of your articles I already read up on, in other forums in similar format. Why should I use yours? What sets it apart?

 

[rl-cw]

I'm not making any claims about exclusivity but the majority of editorial and photographs are my copyright which is interesting (although some were written as a freelance reporter prior to starting the publication).

People in the USA will read about things before people in Europe and the other way round because of the way news feeds out. We also deliberately held back from the search engines while we tested it.

What I am doing is presenting information in a various formats in an easy to ready style - no pop-ups or banner ads . . all the advertisements are embedded in the magazine as per printed versions. Editorial is, as it should be, freely given in the interest of the industry and without obligation or conditions. I have a certain reputation in the industry for speaking out on issues - especially where health and safety is concerned.

Interestingly, in a time of recession, we have actually refused advertising revenue for 'on-screen' banners, logos, etc.

Future issues will allow readers to select different languages and provide an even higher level of interactivity . . but only at the reader request.

The reader is king - something publishers sometimes forget.