The editor of Gramophone says a plan to create a free online archive of every word it has published in its 85-year history will improve the classical music magazine’s presence online.
Gramophone editor James Inverne said the free archive, which is set to go live in early September, would strengthen the magazine’s brand, push subscriptions and put its website at the top of web searches because of the mass of editorial that will be available.
Inverne said: ‘Haymarket increasingly sees itself as a content provider rather than just a publisher of magazines. It’s about providing content in the best format that people wish to take it.”
Inverne said the industry was turning against subscription-based websites and looking to generate revenues through commercial deals. Haymarket has built similar website for What Car? magazine.
In January 2009, Gramophone plans to add a music download, mail order service and as a concert ticket selling facility. Readers will be able to search for pieces of music, listen to extracts of it, download different interpretations of it and buy concert tickets for a performance. Inverne said the commercial elements of the site would be clearly separated from the editorial end of the magazine.
The project has been in the pipeline for three years with support from the classical music industry. The digitalisation process is being completed with third parties outside the Haymarket group.
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