Harvard Business Review Signs Digital Distribution Deal With NewsStand, Inc.

Posted on May 22, 2001

Harvard Business School Publishing, and NewsStand, Inc., a publishing technology provider, have announced a three-year agreement in which NewsStand will serve as a digital circulation service for the Harvard Business Review. NewsStand's technology and distribution service will enable the Harvard Business Review to offer digital versions of the magazine. Readers will be able to view the magazine on their personal computers in the same layout as the printed version, which includes the original news, graphics and advertising.

As part of the agreement, Harvard Business School Publishing will offer digital paid subscriptions and single copy sales of Harvard Business Review to consumers. Harvard Business School Publishing plans to first market the digital circulation service beginning in June of 2001. The company plans to offer digital subscriptions to new subscribers by late summer. The cost of digital subscriptions and single copies has yet to be determined.

``NewsStand's technology and distribution service allows us to open up a new distribution channel, enabling us to reach a wider audience,'' said Penelope Muse Abernathy, publisher of Harvard Business School Publishing. ``By offering NewsStand's service to our readers, we underscore our commitment to keeping Harvard Business Review as current and timely as it has always been."

``Harvard Business Review's audience is the perfect demographic for NewsStand's service,'' said Gary Rubin, vice president and general manager of magazines, catalogues and newsletters for NewsStand. ``As the leading magazine on business thought, the publication's audience is technology-savvy, high-level management, and busy. Not only does online delivery provide added convenience for HBR's existing audience, it expands the reach of the publication to a global, wired audience.''

NewsStand's suite of products includes the NewsStand Reader, an application that allows subscribers to download and view publications. The PaperPusher and NewsStand Delivery Service provide publishers with tools to digitally publish and distribute their products.

NewsStand also recently announced a strategic partnership with The New York Times Company, whereby NewsStand will serve as the digital circulation service for The New York Times newspaper. In addition, The New York Times Company announced that they had taken a minority equity position in NewsStand.