CMP Media LLC
600 Harrison St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
415.947.6000
http://www.networkmagazine.com
For gear heads who scramble around the office putting out all those computer fires, graduation often means a gig managing the technical support team or, depending on the
individual career track, an eventual promotion to CIO or CFO. And surely there are even a few CEOs of tech-related companies who can recall the prodigal days when they used to get
"under the hood" before moving into the inner sanctum. Yet CMP Media's Network Magazine appeals to IT executives from the entire software food chain. The monthly publication
focuses on emerging technologies and technology life cycles but tends to avoid any hands-on product testing.
"We have a pretty broad reach," says Editor-in-Chief (since 1998) Steve Steinke. "If you have an MIS director or CIO who may have come through the ranks of software
programming, the editorial topics should seem fresh." The publication, which in April was named Best Computer/Trade Publication by the Western Publications Association from more
than 1000 entries, recently made a strategic cut in its circulation to 125,000 from 200,000 (most readers are male) after consolidating management with sister publication Network
Computing and dialing back its European distribution.
Although it covers similar terrain, Network Magazine is able to distinguish itself from its Brand X, IDG Corp.'s Network World, by providing in-depth analysis on a monthly
basis. Network World, a weekly, is newsier because of its frequency. That's fine with Steinke, who says Network Magazine gives readers more Big Picture type material on computer
technologies, from cradle to grave.
Content/Contacts/Deadlines
The front of the book features three pages of news and news analysis -- emphasis on analysis -- as well as the lowdown on legal and regulatory trends affecting the computer
industry. The section also includes tutorials on enterprise networking, voice/data convergence, call centers and understanding Internet domain names, for example.
Articles on the magazine's bread-and-butter -- nascent technologies -- run in the feature well, which also carries plenty of case studies. Steinke says there is an exhaustive
weeding out process for the case studies to ensure that the information in the case study adds value for readers. "We look for an issue with legs and where people are willing to
be forthcoming and admit that they might have made a mistake," he says.
The publication has a fairly skeletal crew so Steinke strongly stresses that PR people "do their homework on the Web site and find out who the beat editor" is in the area they
want to pitch a story. "It's pretty clear where things fit." Send an e-mail initially; if it's urgent try the telephone but keep in mind that reporters' voice-mail boxes are so
full that sometimes "I can't even leave them a message," Steinke says. Forget faxes. Know the players. "There's nothing more frustrating then when you're working on something and
you get a call from someone who hasn't the faintest idea on what your magazine is about," Steinke says.
The magazine's columnists are fairly accessible. Columns include "Business Layer" by Lenny Liebmann, which explores the nexus between computer networking and business
processes; "Off the Wires" by Andy Dornan, who writes about wireless developments; "Wide Angle" by Tom Nolle, on the telecommunications carrier market and a computer security
column by Rik Farrow. Deadlines are three months out and freelance pitches need more lead-time. Steinke is willing to bend a bit to make room for more timely pieces.
In The Pipeline
The August and September issues feature an annual survey on data communications carriers and a special report on Voice Over IP products will run sometime later this year.
There's an ISP survey running in the September issue. Stories that untangle developments in the wireless markets will be running in both the October and November issues. Unified
Communications and Digital Rights Management are two of the topics planned for the December issue. Looking toward 2004, the January issue will tackle the role of the Management
Platform.