How to pitch the newly redesigned PC World

Editor in chief Harry McCracken explains to PR pros how the magazine’s focus has changed

The last time PC World magazine did a redesign—back in 2001—both the media and the high-tech worlds were very different, explains Harry McCracken, editor in chief of the IDG monthly. “It was still a magazine-centric universe,” says McCracken of the importance of the print edition. In addition, he explains, the magazine’s readers (circulation is 855,000) used to revolve their computing and Internet activities around their desktop or laptop PCs.

The new redesign of the magazine, as of the September issue, takes the readership’s new high-tech world into account. Nowadays, much of their computing is shifting to mobile phones, PDAs and other portable devices. In addition, readers are asking for info to make smart buying decisions on a wide range of consumer gadgets, including HDTVs and digital cameras.

“These are tech-savvy people, and their needs are constantly evolving,” says McCracken. “The PC computer is still important, but now it’s about a whole universe of products—and you have to get them to talk to each other.”