iPad sales robust for Wired

Wired has sold close to 73,000 iPad downloads — almost as many copies as the magazine sells on the newsstand — in the past nine days, which has boosted its advertising, reports Matthew Flamm of Crain’s New York Business.

Flamm reports, “July’s ad pages will be up 28% and August’s more than 50%, according to the magazine.

“The turnaround comes after a devastating 2009 and two lackluster years preceding it.

“‘A year ago, we thought [the tablet] was going to be our big digital bet, and we just went for it,’ says Editor in Chief Chris Anderson. He adds that the magazine became an early evangelist for the iPad’s possibilities, and that his team produced four test editions before launching with the June issue two weeks ago.

“Ad pages had been on the rise before the first demonstration of the Wired tablet prototype at the high-profile Technology Entertainment Design conference, known as TED, in February. But once Mr. Anderson and Wired Publisher Howard Mittman started their road shows with advertisers, the iPad edition became a calling card.”

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