This may be a trend setting decision that becomes the immediate future for industry trade publications. InfoWorld has announced that they will discontinue their print component as of April 2, 2007.

“InfoWorld is not dead. We’re not going anywhere. We are merely embracing a more efficient delivery mechanism –the Web — at InfoWorld.com. You can still get all the news coverage, reviews, analysis, opinion, and commentary that InfoWorld is known for. You’ll just have to access it in a browser (or RSS reader) — something more than a million of you already do every month.”

Industry insiders are abuzz over the long rumoured news. Ultimately, it’s a strategic decision that is both practical and in sync with the realities of today’s contemporary world of information technology. It’s not unusual for IT information in a print magazine to be out of date simply because things can change by the nanosecond – and often do.

When you’re dealing with information that is actionable intelligence, there is a high probability that you’ll need to refer back to the source of that info. You may save it for future reference, categorize it within certain projects, email it to associates or colleagues and so on.

The new school of information sharing includes viral phenomenon such as social book-marking, tag and ping, and RSS. All of which are more progressive and effective in facilitating the use of new info compared to having a copy of that old, dogged eared magazine collecting dust on your office credenza.

Other trade publications and marketers can learn an interesting leadership lesson from this gutsy approach by InfoWorld. Delivery of information is the objective. Businesses need to be in touch with the medium that best delivers information in the most efficient and useful fashion for their target audience.