Publishers are now all looking to break into the digital and online platform, and not far behind is the Hearst Group, a leading American publisher, which announced its plans to come out with a digital newsstand, advertising service and e-reader for both newspapers and magazines, on Friday.

The giant publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle and Houston Chronicle newspapers, as well as Esquire, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping magazines, said that the platform has been christened as "Skiff" and is all set to be launched next year.

With falling circulations and dwindling advertising revenues, all publishers and newspapers are now looking to make a place for themselves in the online and digital world, of which e-readers are an important part.

Skiff's goal has been shared by the company as looking to "connect publishers and marketers with consumers", while delivering "enhanced content experiences" to users of e-readers, smartphones and netbooks.

"We're responding to a clear need of publishers. "Newspapers and magazines today generate the majority of their revenue from advertising. So to bring those businesses into this category in a bigger way requires that advertising be part of the mix", said Skiff President Gilbert Fuchsberg.