SAN FRANCISCO & BURLINGAME, CA: Hi-tech PR has two fewer magazines to pitch, as Upside and Forbes ASAP have stopped the presses for good. Both are the latest victims of an advertising slump that has already claimed The Industry Standard and Yahoo! Internet Life.
"In making this decision, (Forbes) is responding to the continuing difficulties in the technology sector," read a statement from Forbes, regarding the 10-year-old Forbes ASAP, based in Burlingame. "There is no longer a market for dedicated new-economy publications."
"This points to technology as a specialty is ceasing to exist," said Ryan Donovan, associate director of Ketchum's global technology practice.
"Technology is part of a bigger picture. People don't write about speeds and feeds as much. It's more about how technology will impact the end user. So there's less of a need for publications focusing on just technology."
Donovan called ASAP a "top-tier publication," but said its editorial mission shifted, and never quite found its mooring again.
John Radewagen, VP of corporate communications at The Hoffman Agency, said ASAP debuted with quite a bit of prestige, but never lived up to it. "They were once a significant force on the tech scene," said Donovan.
"It will be missed."
That may not be the case with San Francisco-based Upside. It never worked too hard to build the prestige found at competitors such as The Industry Standard, said Donovan.
Radewagen said the magazine was an excellent place for emerging tech companies to get coverage, much like Red Herring, but never developed a strong editorial personality.
"Upside slowly diminished in influence," said Donovan. "When clients come to us for a particular placement, Upside is not at the top of the list."
Red Herring recently sold itself to RHC Media in order to restructure financially.
TECH MAGS: WHO'S LEFT?
Business 2.0: Edgier, hipper version of traditional business magazines.
Has moved away from being just tech-focused
Fast Company: Focuses on companies and their competitive strategies,
showcasing the teams and people behind those strategies
Red Herring: Covers technology, focusing heavily on entrepreneurs and
emerging companies and technologies
Wired: Writes about how cutting-edge technologies are changing the
world, from video games to movies.
