Online magazine: Difference between revisions

An '''online magazine''' is a [[magazine]] published on the [[Internet]], through [[bulletin board system]]s and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine format to being online only was the [[computer magazine]] ''[[Datamation]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Datamation |publisher= |url=https://www.datamation.com/ |access-date=24 March 2015|publisher=Datamation 4}}</ref> Some online magazines distributed through the [[World Wide Web]] call themselves '''webzines'''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Webzine Definition & Meaning |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/webzine |title=Webzine &#124; Define Webzine at Dictionary.com |publisher=Dictionary.reference.com |access-date=2012-03-02 |publisher=Dictionary.com}}</ref> An '''ezine''' (also spelled '''e-[[zine]]''') is a more specialized term appropriately used for small magazines and newsletters distributed by any electronic method, for example, by electronic mail (e-mail/email, see [[Zine]]).<ref>{{Cite CD.com|webzine|access-date=24 March 2015}}</ref> Some social groups may use the terms '''cyberzine''' and '''hyperzine''' when referring to electronically distributed resources. Similarly, some online magazines may refer to themselves as "electronic magazines", "digital magazines", or "e-magazines" to reflect their readership demographics or to capture alternative terms and spellings in online searches.

An online magazine shares some features with a [[blog]] and also with [[online newspapers]], but can usually be distinguished by its approach to editorial control. Magazines typically have editors or editorial boards who review submissions and perform a quality control function to ensure that all material meets the expectations of the publishers (those investing time or money in its production) and the readership.

Many general interest online magazines provide free access to all aspects of their online content, although some [[publishers]] have opted to [[pay wall|require a subscription fee to access]] premium online article and/or multi-mediamultimedia content. Online magazines may generate revenue based on targeted search ads to web-site visitors, banner ads (online [[Display advertising|online display advertising]]), affiliations to retail web sites, classified advertisements, product-purchase capabilities, advertiser directory links, or alternative informational/commercial purpose.

In the late 1990s, e-zine publishers began adapting to the interactive and informative qualities of the Internet instead of simply duplicating print magazines on the web. Publishers of traditional print titles and entrepreneurs with an eye to a potential readership in the millions started publishing online titles. ''[[Salon.com]]'', founded in July 1995 by David Talbot, was launched with considerable media exposure and today reports 5.8 million monthly unique visitors. In the 2000s, some webzines began appearing in a printed format to complement their online versions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carr |first=David |date=2005-02-10 |title=The Founder of Salon Is Passing the Mouse (Published 2005)|language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/books/the-founder-of-salon-is-passing-the-mouse.html |url-access=limited |access-date=2021-02-21 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>