I suspect Marcus & others are missing a trick here.
The website is obviously a revenue stream - there's PPC advertising on it, and the Magazine attempts to bridge the gap somewhat between offline and online interaction. However the active user base of the website is tiny, and I presume their PPC advertising revenue doesn't produce much.
It's pretty obvious that digital is fast becoming the norm. Paper magazines are fast going to become obsolete (or at least shadows of their former selves), in the same way that direct marketing is being made obsolete by digital marketing and eCRM. Look at the newspapers, with the vast majority of major papers embracing digital subscription models.
A proper injection of effort (and budget) into this website could reap a big ROI, including things such as:
* Proper online subscription model to supplement or replace the offline model, giving exclusive content to subscribing members
* Much harder working online advertising as a result of increased online traffic
* Best in class online activity and content, leading the way for sister magazines
* Multi-channel digital offerings (iPad / iPhone / tablet / mobile access)
Etc.
Building on the current user base by offering market leading gallery / review / rating facilities through the website is an obvious step forward...
Oh and by the way, I work for a top ten digital agency, so happy to discuss with the powers that be!
