It’s not clear exactly what sort of combined pitch the publishers are going to make, though it’s likely to revolve around the value of print as branding medium and how the properties online wings can help provide greater targeting. Wenner’s part in this effort is notable mainly because it is no longer a member of the industry’s primary marketing organ, the Magazine Publishers of America, though the Rolling Stone owner did discuss the plans with the MPA CEO Nina Link.

The news comes as Time Inc. begins another large round of layoffs this week. Months of shutdowns, layoffs and ever thinning mag pages are only reinforcing the view of magazines as having reduced value at a time when ad budgets are tight.