iTunes adds music, news PDFs

Apple's iTunes has expanded its podcast directory to include PDF files.  The first offerings, both free, are The Fader magazine and Wikinews. The free PDF includes all advertisements and editorial in the 196-page magazine's July/August issue.  A second 47-minute audio download is also being offered, including tracks from about 20 artists, some of whom enjoy saying the f-word.

"We approached Apple about doing this," said Andy Cohn, the publisher of Fader, an upscale-ad rich magazine featuring style, fashion and new music. "The iTunes Music Store collects extremely passionate music fans and that's the perfect environment to expose The Fader."

The magazine reports a circulation of 87,500. It is published eight times a year. "We don't see it cannibalizing newsstand sales.  It's really a promotional tool to reach a global audience."

iTunes is also distributing the daily Wikinews print edition as a PDF. Billing itself as "The free news source you can write," lead stories yesterday were the death of Ken Lay, France's soccer victory over Portugal, and the death of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, a singer.

Steve Rubel, an executive with Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. public relations, has speculated "It's conceivable that Apple could turn iTunes into a dedicated RSS reader ... and become a clearing house for all subscription-based content (including audio books).

Comments

[Eric Rice]

Frank, can you verify where you're seeing this category? iTunes has had PDF support for sometime-- that's not new-- but *listing* the category by Apple-- that's a good thing. I wanted to post on this but can't seem to find it anyway. Found the magazines you referenced, but not the categories.

Thanks,

ER