Tech news site CNET branching into print

Technology news site CNET will launch a print magazine, also called CNET, on Monday, reports Stuart Elliott of the New York Times.

Elliott writes, “The arrival of CNET in print is indicative of a trend: Brands that began digitally are turning every day into #ThrowBackThursday by adding versions in traditional forms. Other examples include the YouTube channel AwesomenessTV starting a book imprint, online retailers like Bonobos opening brick-and-mortar stores, and websites like WebMD publishing magazines.

“Still, some may wonder why a technology website wants to enter the print realm, particularly when print publications are struggling in the digital age to woo readers and advertisers.

“‘The future for this brand is multiplatform,’ said Jim Lanzone, president and chief executive of CBS Interactive, because ‘we know the audience wants to experience CNET in multiple ways.’

“‘This is a project we talked about for a number of years, and it got momentum in 2013, the best year in the history of CNET,’ he added. ‘One thing we saw was that the brand had a lot more potential than we thought it did.'”

Read more here.