Let's Kick It Up a Notch
Laura Peters, Editor-in-Chief -- Semiconductor International, 5/1/2008
On the Food Network, Emeril Lagasse spices up food like nobody's business. He's got dry rubs, something called Baby Bam and a myriad of spice combinations to turn dull dishes into melodies in the mouth. His chant, "Now, let's kick it up notch," gets viewers ready for a savory infusion.
Since taking over the job of Editor-in-Chief, many people have asked me what will change about the publication and its programs, if anything. The best way I can describe our future editorial vision for Semiconductor International is that we will continue to do what we do best, but we're prepared to kick it up a notch.
Just as there is no lack of applications for semiconductor and related technology today, there's almost no limit to the ways that content can — and must — be delivered. Information, in particular technical information, is not always best delivered on the printed page. Since we launched our new website last year and expanded our daily news coverage to include original news and commentary from sources around the world, Semiconductor.net is enjoying increased traffic, with more than 300,000 page views per month. We built the website as an engine for the industry, bringing in articles from other websites, including some of our competitors, so that we can be a one-stop shop for professionals working in semiconductor fabs. We have also created topic-specific microsites, such as the Photovoltaics Channel, which you can access by RSS feed or by directly linking to the technology channel. We have valuable perspectives from industry experts in podcast and webcast format. As one example, for our latest webcast on immersion lithography, which we delivered in both English and Japanese versions, more than 1300 people worldwide registered to view it at their convenience. Our next step? Videos on demand.
This leads me to an important lesson that we've learned from reader feedback: Even more important than having the critical technical information you need is having the information when you need it. For this reason, we're continuously developing new vehicles of communication, such as custom e-newsletters on specific topics and e-books. These formats give a company the ability to drill down into a specific topic their audience is interested in, whether that be CMP productivity or shallow junction resistivity.
Throughout the years, we've always known that delivering a multitude of products and staying on top of the latest industry trends takes a dedicated full-time staff. That is why I am proud to say that our current editorial team of four full-time editors/reporters has over 110 years of experience in technical writing. Together with our contributing editors in the United States and our editorial counterparts of SI Japan and SI China, we provide international coverage for an international industry.
Over the next several months, I will be out and about at semiconductor and related conferences, visiting with key industry sources to get a better idea of how we can best serve our readers and take SI to the next level. Despite the value and immediacy of staying in touch by email, I find that nothing replaces in-depth, in-person discussions with industry experts.
Semiconductor International was built on the idea that engineers and engineering managers in semiconductor manufacturing need unbiased, technical information to continually improve the way they perform their jobs, while staying on top of market trends in an extremely volatile environment. We plan to carry on our strong legacy of being the market leader and continue to follow a path of increased improvement.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Please join me in infusing our dishes with the best possible seasoning and, as Emeril says, kicking it up a notch!
