Hearst has introduced Lighting Developer, which builds on the existing Embedded Developer site infrastructure to create a platform for solid state lighting (SSL) components. Whilst Digi-Key are a prominent supporter of Embedded Developer, they effectively own Lighting Developer. The launch press release says:
The site, www.lightingdeveloper.com, is designed to help SSL engineers quickly find LEDs, Optics, Drivers and Tools that work together in a complete application solution. Digi-Key will be the anchor sponsor complemented by additional sponsorship from SSL suppliers on Digi-Key’s line card…
…The search can start with a reference design, and subsequent search engines for LEDs, Optics, Drivers and Tools in the design chain are each linked to each other, a Bill of Materials, and finally to the Digi-Key shopping cart for fulfillment.
So this Heast publication will only cover products that are supplied by Digi-Key, and furthermore will route you to Digi-Key to buy the devices.
I’m pleased to see that the site makes the nature of the partnership with Digi-Key clear on the home page – there is no pretence of any independent journalism. It is, however, a worrying development as the site is branded a Hearst site and not Digi-Key. I worry that engineers will end up using media channels that only cover products offered by a particular vendor, which will inevitably limit their creativity.I’m also concerned that other distributors might launch similar ventures with less openness and honesty.
Lighting Developer – like its sister site Embedded Developer – is going to make the return on investment very clear to Digi-Key, as users are routed to Digi-Key’s site to purchase components. I’ll be interested to see whether any publisher can create a site that offers several alternative sources for purchase, running on a commission based upon sales generated, rather than charging for advertising.
Despite my concerns, I don’t think that it’s wrong for publishers to produce websites for a particular company: custom publishing of magazines has long been a source of significant revenue for many publishers. In the long term, however, I really hope high-quality independent media that prosper, rather than sites that are built purely to promote a specific company.
If you read a book or record review in a national newspaper now it is very common to be offered the opportunity to buy the product at the end – and the concerns expressed here apply, though truthfully I’ve never felt that the review itself has been compromised by the commercial link. I’ve long felt that there is the opportunity for the major catalogue distributors to ‘piggyback’ on industry launches by offering the opportunity to buy samples as new products are announced. It isn’t always possible. For very good reasons some products are announced before the first production samples are made, but I’m sure that there are more opportunities for this kind of marketing.