Newsweek to Stop Print Edition, Tweak Name

Newsweek magazine, known for its often-controversial covers, announced Thursday that it will stop running in print in the U.S. after Dec. 31 and switch to an all-digital format because of the "challenging economics of print publishing and distribution":

"Newsweek Global, as the all-digital publication will be named, will be a single, worldwide edition targeted for a highly mobile, opinion-leading audience who want to learn about world events in a sophisticated context. Newsweek Global will be supported by paid subscription and will be available through e-readers for both tablet and the Web, with select content available on The Daily Beast."

In a September study by the Pew Research Center, 39 percent of responders said they had gotten news online the previous day, whether by computer, cell phone or tablet. Online-only news formats (like Patch) are becoming more common, as is news organizations charging for web access to stories (UT San Diego, LA Times, The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune). 

Newsweek is known for its eye-catching covers, such as a July 2011 issue which imagined what Princess Diana would have looked like had she lived to 50.

What do you think about print publications moving online-only and charging for access? Will this affect how much you read them?

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