ezine

An ezine, short for electronic magazine, is a periodical published in digital form and distributed electronically, typically by email or via a website. Ezines generally present longer-form articles, interviews, reviews, and editorials on a focused topic or niche, and may operate as individual projects or as part of a larger organization. Content is delivered in HTML, plain text, or PDF and can be read online or offline.

The ezine emerged in the early days of online publishing alongside email newsletters. Early variants used plain text, while later issues adopted HTML layouts, embedded graphics, and multimedia. They have served hobbyists, professionals, and academic communities, often relying on volunteer editors and contributors. The rise of blogs and social media shifted the landscape, but many ezines continue to operate as monthly or quarterly issues or as evergreen archives with periodic updates.

Distribution methods include email subscription lists, web archives, and downloadable issues. Some ezines are free and ad-supported; others rely on paid subscriptions or donations. Rights management and licensing, plagiarism checks, and proper attribution are standard concerns, as with any published work.

In practice, ezine is sometimes used interchangeably with webzine or digital magazine, though some distinctions exist with newsletters emphasizing frequent issues and promotion. See also digital magazine, webzine, newsletter.