Portfolio

Portfolio is a big new business magazine from Conde Nast. Jeff Jarvis today has an intriguing preview on his BuzzMachine. The magazine itself is not out until next week, and there is then a big gap (advertising dictated) until the second issue in August, when the magazine will become monthly. It looks like its playing in the same general space as Monocle (blogged yesterday), but my sense is that it will be more businessy, perhaps a little less avant garde. The one will have a New York focus/locus, the other a London/European one. Jarvis emphasises the cloud of bloggers -- but we wonder whether bloggers can be integral to the success of a monthly business magazine. The Portfolio web site is broadcasting interviews which form a part of the first issue. Same plan as with Monocle and a good way of giving tasty context to browsers who may decide to buy or subscribe. This comment of Jarvis's gave me a shudder:

Having said that, Portfolio is doing some things quite right. Start with the fact that all the content of the magazine, with the exception of a few difficult-to-translate graphics — will come online the same time that the magazine goes on sale.

Why allow the exception? This sounds like a re-purposed version of the magazine. The publisher loses a lot more than a 'few difficult-to-translate graphics' when a beautiful magazine is repurposed. Loyal readers need the web version of their magazine to look and be the same as their print version. Oh dear. Lets hope that is not what they have done.