Blurring the line between magazine and web site

You know this internet thing, it might not catch on unless people can relate it to old school media. That appears to be the 1995 thinking that went into the People Magazine “Best Summer Ever” online edition.

Rather than direct People Magazine’s print readers to a traditional website where they can watch movie trailers, see additional photos, hear sound clips and music, the online edition replicates the layout of a magazine — but adds audio, video, and interactivity.

You click on the bottom corner of a page to flip back and forth. On some pages you can click photos to see them full screen, or to answer questions in a Harry Potter quiz. Other pages have movie trailers.

Perhaps this is aimed at People Magazine readers who have never ventured online, but I’m not sure there’s enough compelling content here to make them do so. Come on, a video of the world’s tallest roller coaster? And if you’re already web-savvy, you know that:

1. This is a pretty inefficient way to organize data online.
2. Having audio play constantly on every page is just going to make your readers turn their speakers off.

[via Advertising Age]