The Corner Office : Balancing Mediums to Serve the Audience

Digital media expert Tom Cintorino focuses on Northstar Travel Media’s “digital transformation” without leaving print behind.

As publishers continue to try and keep pace with readers, one thing is clear: Digital publishing will not stop growing. But that doesn't mean you should abandon the print foundation on which this industry was built. "Digital transformation is a must, and it's not leaving one medium to go to another," insists Tom Cintorino, executive vice president of digital media for Northstar Travel Media. "It's really finding a balance of all mediums that meet the audience needs … and then generating revenues and profits. That's what being in business is about."

That's exactly what the Secaucus, N.J.-based travel and hospitality b-to-b publisher is working on. Since his hiring last November, Cintorino has been emphasizing the integration of all Northstar Travel Media's digital efforts, relating its online products to its print magazines.

"One of the opportunities … that we're pressing on is to better leverage each of the products with the others," says Cintorino. "In other words, we've been able to generate revenues off of our paid content, but I don't believe we've … made it work together in multiple offers and leveraging the other brands as marketing channels. … A lot of our audience might be interested in [our other digital products], but they may not have known enough about those products with the way we go to market today."

Cintorino says Northstar Travel Media has many digital publishing projects underway, including STAR Service Online, which provides expert hotel information and editorial commentary on some 9,000 hotels; Weissmann Reports; Business Travel Planner 24; and Intelliguide Corporate, which reports up-to-the-minute events affecting travel. And the company is on its way to integrating these products to better benefit its readers, and its bottom line.

Here, Cintorino talks with Publishing Executive about his plans to grow Northstar's digital properties and integrate them to best serve the audience.

How are you growing your digital business?

Tom Cintorino: … We are certainly continuing on building the brand Web sites, which in many cases are the magazine companion sites. We are actively building out our online events—both online brands and counterparts to physical shows. And we're actively building out our paid content and free databases, which include a hotel index (HotelTravelIndex.com) and a cruise directory (OfficialCruiseGuide.com) to be launched on April 14 in conjunction with our co-located events—CruiseWorld 2010 and Home Based [Travel] Agent [Show and Conference}.

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