PRINWLRV.RVW   980604

"Information World Review", Learned Information, 1986 - , ISSN
0950-9879, UK#33-44/yr
%E   Paul Blake paulb@vnu.co.uk
%C   Woodside, Hinksey Hill, Oxford   OX1 5BE  UK
%D   1986 -
%G   ISSN 0950-9879
%I   Learned Information
%O   UK#33-44/yr +44-1865-388000 fax: 44-1865-736354 www.iwr.vnu.co.uk
%P   32 p. monthly
%T   "Information World Review"

Initially only one issue of this large format periodical, June 1997,
was submitted for review.  It seemed, at first glance, very similar to
advertising paid magazines like InternetWeek, LANTimes, and a number
of others in the technology field.  The material covered deals with
online services, concentrating on subscription and other pay services,
rather than the free sources on the Web or the net.  Many products are
available both online and on CD-ROM.  The products are also
geographically limited in that, while many may be accessed from
anywhere, the companies represented seem to be based anywhere but in
the US, mostly in Britain and Europe.

The similarity to free distribution magazines is not limited to the
technical theme of the journal.  Most "stories" appear to be little
more than press releases.  Indeed, it may be more closely akin to
Electronic Buyer's News in that the bulk of the news involves either
new product announcements, or announcements of mergers and alliances
that will be leading to new products.  Interestingly, while almost all
of the services covered offer their products over the Internet,
contact information listed is generally the telephone, with few email
addresses or URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) included.

There are some feature and opinion articles contained in the magazine. 
The features and reviews are not, however, terribly "hard" journalism. 
Most of these pieces are overviews of a company's activity or
interviews that could have come out of the public relations
department.  Criticisms are limited at best.

In response to the first draft of this review the company provided
four additional issues.  As it turns out, all of these subsequent
issues were an improvement over the first.  There are occasional US
offerings, there are more feature articles and columns, and there are
more email addresses and URLs.  However, not much more.  The
advertising and press release focus remains.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   PRINWLRV.RVW   980604