For years moms have known that for thoughtful parenting articles, they could do no better than Child magazine. An icon in the parenting space, the magazine was not only the go-to magazines for parents, but also incredibly profitable. Until now.

Following in the footsteps of the fallen print editions of both Life and Premiere magazines, Meredith Corp. announced this week that Child will be closing down. The brand, like the others, will now be featured online. And in July, after the last issue of Child runs, its features will become part of “a parenthood portal,” which will also include content from Family Circle, Parents, and American Baby. 

So there go the print magazines. More and more magazines (and even newspapers) across the board are starting to sing this same tune, as subscriptions, circulation, and ad pages continue to decline. Although Child had other challenges to contend with, such as the recent Conde Nast publication Cookie, this new trend is one primarily brought on by changes in consumers.

For example, they now go online. They shop online, they connect with others online, and they do much of their research online. With news and information at their fingertips, many people no longer bother to read print editions of magazines and newspapers. This is especially true of both the younger generation, who can’t remember a time when they weren’t glued to a computer screen, and mothers, who use the Internet more than any other group. Advertising is therefore also increasingly effective via the Internet or, more and more, through word of mouth.

In come places like Real Savvy Moms, the self-proclaimed “#1 web video destination for moms.” With information, advice, articles, message boards, blogs, videos, experts, recipes, book clubs, shopping…need I go on?....it is the one-stop place for a mother looking for, well, anything. And it’s all available instantaneously and free of charge. We are now living in a world our grandparents never could have imagined.

And with the changes in lifestyle and the media, businesses need to meet the growing demands of the digital age or be prepared, like Child, to close their doors.

Image: Child.com

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