Many folks have heard the word Ezine and many may receive them in the email box. The approved definition of an Ezine Appears to be an Electronic Magazine. Yes, it is but I remember the very first ones in 1995 and 1996. They were emailed electronic company newsletters, academic newsletters and such. Then in 1997 we saw Electronic Trade Journals and Industry Association emailed newsletters.

Indeed most of these were rather crude, as they have lines of asterisks across the page signifying the next topic, but those were Ezines too. Many non-profits, museums, government agencies send out Ezines now too, some sub-contract this out some do not.

When does a Museum online Newsletter become a Magazine like the paper copy of the Smithsonian and when is it only an online Newsletter? When does a company newsletter become an Ezine? Because many companies like Costco put out Magazines as company Newsletters. Is it a matter of graphics, which change the definition? Are the predecessors to the Ezine in 1995, 96 and 97 invalid as Ezines?

An Ezine is an Electronic Magazine by pure definition, yet that definition is evolving and today there are Ezines or electronic magazines with Millions of Subscribers and 10s of thousands of online newsletters many of which are calling themselves Ezines with 10s of thousands of subscribers each. Consider this in 2006.