• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, November 15, 2012

All You Ups Reader-Generated Content

All You, a Time Inc. magazine targeted at value-conscious female Wal-Mart shoppers, is introducing more reader-generated content as part of a new editorial treatment beginning with its December issue, which hits Wal-Mart newsstands on Friday.
 
The December issue introduces a new editorial feature, “Real Talk,” which highlights readers’ tips and reviews and answers reader questions. Comments from Facebook, bloggers, and the All You Web site are also showcased throughout the magazine.
 
On the advertising front, the magazine’s “Reality Checkers” -- a group of around 50,000 readers who have opted in for dialogue with the magazine’s editors and advertisers -- are encouraged to test products and share reviews, which may then appear in ads  in the magazine.
 
All You is expanding the reach of user-generated content created by Reality Checkers by encouraging them to share their reviews across social networks. The magazine brand currently has around 300,000 Facebook fans, while traffic to the Web site increased to 1.7 million unique visitors in October -- its best performance for the year so far.

Mag+ Introduces Software Development Kit
 
Mag+, which operates a digital publishing platform for magazine publishers, has introduced its Mag+ App Software Development Kit, which is intended to make it easier to incorporate Mag+ into independent applications, including e-commerce, utilities, newspapers and games. For magazine publishers, developers are no longer locked into a specific set of app features and user experiences, but can create a unique magazine or newspaper app tailored to their brand requirements. Retailers can create catalog apps directly linked to e-commerce systems.
 
Esquire Unveils First Interactive, Shareable Issue
 
The December issue of Esquire, which hits the newsstands Nov. 20, will be the first completely interactive and shareable issue, thanks to its integration of Netpage, an iPhone app for paper. Readers can digital clip, save, and share every article, ad, and photo from the magazine’s print edition; they can also play videos and purchase items directly from the page. Lexus is the first brand to use the enhanced capabilities in ads appearing in the magazine. All future issues of the magazine will use the same interactive technology, which doesn’t require any special codes, watermarks, or printing processes.
 
Huey Will Step Down From Time Inc. EIC
 
John Huey will be stepping down from his post as editor in chief at Time Inc. by the end of this year, according to the New York Post. The daily also reported that Martha Nelson, currently occupying the second editorial position at Time Inc., is expected to replace Huey, who has accepted a Shorenstein fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School. 

USPS Posts Record Loss

The U.S. Postal Service reported that it incurred a $15.9 billion loss for the fiscal year ending Sept.30 -- the largest loss ever recorded in the public corporation’s history. The loss resulted from a combination of shrinking revenues, reflecting decreasing mail volumes and its failure to make an $11.1 billion payment into its retiree health benefits fund, which will weigh on USPS balance sheets indefinitely. The organization reached its borrowing limit of $15 billion earlier this year, and will almost certainly be forced to default on its scheduled health benefits payment again in 2013, unless Congress moves to relieve its financial woes.