Hearst Magazines has appointed Sales Executive Avi Zimak (left) as ad director for its tablet operations in time for the October launch of the applications "think tank" called The App Lab, paidContent reported earlier this week. In light of the industry's leap towards tablet-aimed content, the group might also be setting aside an area of Hearst Tower early next year to place iPhone, iPad and other tablet products on display, Web Newser informed.

A recent survey by YouGov discovered that more than half of iPad users in the UK employ the device for reading newspapers and magazines, Telecom Paper stated. According to The Telegraph, TechMarketView Chairman Richard Holway said that he was not surprised by the data, since "the experience of reading a newspaper on an iPad is very natural." Other uses of the iPad featured playing games (50 percent of users), listening to music (40 percent) and reading books (33 percent).

Zimak's newly assigned tasks include being the middleman between advertisers and mobile as well as tablet editions of Hearst's publications and also supervising sales and marketing for The App Lab. This "think tank" will provide previews of future mobile content, applications and platforms and will feature educational material discussing new formats and consumer views, Web Newser reported.

Top industry executives revealed Wednesday that publishers must be in control of the subscription services offered by Apple, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported. Eventhough Apple might be taking 30 percent of the generated revenue on the apps, New York Observer argued that in exchange publishers would have access to the 160 millon Apple account holders who were ready to purchase digital content that did not entail paying extra for duplication. However, Apple's regulations prevent it from providing demographic and contact data that is vital for publishers.

"If we start allowing third party companies to own those relationships and fragment the way we talk to our customers we believe that is a very hard model. It's hard to regain the relationship with the customer once you've ceded it," said Todd Larsen, president of WSJ's publisher Dow Jones & Co. "We would want people to still get the print paper, but to use tablets as a way to augment how they read it."

Hearst currently has 24 apps (such as RedBook's One Stop Shop and Seventeen's Fashion Finder) that are available for the iPhone and Android-run devices. All 14 magazines owned by Hearst are available for the iPad through the Zinio digital reader. Popular Mechanics launched an iPad app in July that costs more than the print edition, according to New York Observer. Other titles, including Esquire, might be available later in 2010. PaidContent added that O, The Oprah Magazine, will have its own iPad add with a bookstore and an e-reader by the end of the year.

According to Web Newser, Zimak has been the ad manager of magazine Town & Country since July 2007. He previously worked as wine, spirits and automotive director at titles Gourmet and Details as well as technology account manager for Business 2.0.

"We see huge potential to collaborate with our advertising partners in exploring new opportunities for innovation. With his energy and experience, Avi is the right person to spearhead this effort and work with our publishers to expand our footprint in the app landscape," said Michael A. Clinton, Hearst Magazines president and marketing and publishing director, Media Week wrote.