“The issue in your hand is the last edition of Newsweek in print. The next, in the first week of January, will be on your iPad or Kindle or phone. By late February, you will see the full evolution of the spanking-new, all-digital Newsweek Global, currently in development,” said Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of Newsweek.
“This is not a conventional magazine, or a hidebound place. It is in that spirit that we’re making our latest, momentous change, embracing a digital medium that all our competitors will one day need to embrace with the same fervor. We are ahead of the curve,” Brown added.
The last print issue of Newsweek.
The cover of the issue lends muscle to Brown’s statement that they are “ahead of the curve.” Using a hashtag #lastprintissue ensured that Newsweek is discussed on the medium that the magazine will now embrace – digital.
Twitterati jumped onto the hashtag, attaching the cover and gave the magazine mountains of free publicity – most of it categorically positive.
Kevin Thau @kevinthau is clearly smitten . “Love that @Newsweek’s last print issue before going all-digital features a hashtag on the cover: #LastPrintIssue!,” he updates.
Mashable’s Pete Cashmore @mashable is nostalgic. “Final @Newsweek Cover Is a Poetic Farewell to Print #LastPrintIssue,” he says. His piece, linked in his tweet, is worth a read.
There are some, like me, who will miss the printed version. “SABA JOJO SABA @JosefNamja is upset as hell. “FUCK YOU NEWSWEEK. HOW THE FUCK CAN I ENJOY THE SMELL OF YOUR PRINTED PAPER AGAIN? #LASTPRINTISSUE,” he says. The use of all capitals is his, not Firstpost’s!
Ah, well. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Chris Hamm @onlykosherhamm mirrors the thoughts of many, when his update says. “I’ll miss you Newsweek! I’m curious to see where you go.#LastPrintIssue.”
And, as Newsweek shuts down the print edition and goes all-digital, there’s another question many will want an answer to. Who’s next?
