Call it praising with faint damnation. These days, when it comes to the economy, good news seems to mean getting worse more slowly. And while a lot of publishing news is like this, hidden among the gloom are some actual signs of hope.

Years ago, when magazine publishers needed to add to their database of potential subscription candidates, they often would have to rent from other magazines. The process, while effective, could be tedious as each individual list rental had to be worked out on a case-by-case basis.

Now, of course, the print subscription climate is much different. Publishers must still find ways to acquire new print subscribers when resources are stretched across multiple mediums.

"Audience development" has morphed from a fairly straightforward function - managing the circ file - into a complex, multichannel marketing discipline. From search optimization to brand building, audience development now spans a broad spectrum of activities. How do you make sense of it all? The following resources should help.

Last week, as the media blogosphere analyzed the announcement of a paywall at the New York Times, I was more fascinated with another recent obsession of mine: Foursquare.