When Ziff Davis launched PC Magazine, it become the bellwether of tech journalism. In its pre-internet heyday the bulk of the publication approached that of a small city telephone book, a result of thousands of paying advertisers. PC Magazine lives on in the form of online portal PCmag.com, and it remains an authoritative source of computing news and information.

The end of PC Magazine in print is part of a larger strategy by old line publisher Ziff Davis to adapt to the changing marketplace. With wirelessly connected laptops now lighter than some editions of the print magazine, it fully illustrates the physical side of the paradigm shift. Add to that a real time news cycle, rich media content, interactivity with readers, and the ability to sell highly targeted ads on the fly and you complete the picture. This defines Ziff’s strategy: Embrace change and your business will thrive. Others in the pulp media could learn from this, but I doubt they are paying attention.

Founded in 1982 and at times so rich with ads its issues reached as many as 600 pages, Ziff Davis’s PC Magazine will issue its last print edition this January, thereafter becoming an online-only publication. Ziff Davis, which recently exited bankruptcy will lay off seven print production employees. (Silican Alley Insider)