The New Yorker finds success on tablets

In another sign that tablet computers are changing the way everyday readers consume content, a recent New York Times report revealed that long-time magazine industry staple the New Yorker now reaches about 20,000 tablet-specific subscribers.

That figure is even more impressive when the number of existing print-magazine subscribers who converted to tablets -- 75,000 -- is factored in. Throw in the "several thousand more people, on average, [who] buy single issues for $4.99 each week," according to the Times, and the New Yorker's tablet circulation may exceed 100,000.

The interesting factor of the New Yorker's new format, the report stated, was its focus on textual content rather than high-tech applications and multimedia. The New Yorker has long focused on the quality and groundbreaking reporting of its content, and its tablet publishing is no different, the report explained. Instead of high-resolution images and embedded video, the publication focuses on its print interface, much in the style of a higher-quality e-reader.

That's not to say digital publishers who incorporate multimedia will be less successful. Rather, as a recent Mashable report highlighted, Sports Illustrated's second consecutive year of double-digit digital revenue growth is a result of its focus on a broad range of tablet formats.