In the news: Digital is on the rise, but print magazines are still a major player in the magazine publishing industry.

Over the past year, we've linked a lot of articles about digital publishing. Every month, we hunt down news items about both print and digital magazines, but so much of the buzz has been about digital this year. Now that the year is coming to a close, however, we're starting to hear more about the state of print magazines, and the news is encouraging.

MediaFinder reports that 195 new print magazines launched this year-14 more print launches than in 2011. The most marked improvement, however, comes in the number of print magazines that closed this year-just 74, compared to 142 in 2011. This is good news indeed, particularly given the emphasis on digital publishing this year. Digital-only launches are down by nearly half this year (58 in 2011, 32 in 2012). This drop in digital startups reflects the magazine industry's ongoing struggle to monetize their digital content.

Read more about the 2012 print magazine industry here and here.

Also Notable

iPad Newspaper Shuts Down

Less than two years after its launch, Newscorps iPad-only newspaper, The Daily, has closed its digital doors. The closure comes as part of a planned NewsCorp restructure. In a statement, Rupert Murdoch stated that the digital newspaper was unable to build a large enough audience to keep the magazine afloat. He states that his companies will use some of the strategies employed at The Daily for its other publications. Some displaced staffers will transfer to the New York Post. Read more here.

Making Better Magazine Apps

On December 3, digital publishing gurus gathered for the MediaBistro App Summit. One panel of experts offered tips on how to create engaging apps. Some experts emphasized the importance of "addictive content," while others reminded digital publishers not to forget PCs in the magazine equation. Perhaps most interesting was the advice not to tie a publication down to an editorial calendar. Read more tips here.

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