Brunico Communications has launched @Brunico, a new corporate Web site on the Internet featuring searchable databases of back issues of Brunico’s trade magazines, Playback and Strategy.

James Shenkman, president of Toronto-based Brunico and executive publisher of Playback and Strategy, says the subscriber-based services, known as Playback Online and Strategy Online, are directed primarily at Playback’s and Strategy’s existing readership across Canada, adding however, that the Internet also provides Brunico with a way to extend its reach into the u.s. and beyond.

Shenkman says Playback Online and Strategy Online are not intended as substitutes for the printed versions of the publications, but are tools to provide individuals and businesses with a competitive research edge. Electronic versions of the biweekly publications will go online two days after their appearance in print.

Playback has a circulation of over 10,000; Strategy covers marketing and advertising and has a circulation of 16,500.

Online users can hunt for particular words or combinations of words that appear in any story in either publication, then retrieve articles to read online, save on their own computers or print.

Users need a computer loaded with browser software, such as Netscape or Mosaic, and an account with an Internet service provider. Once logged on to the @Brunico home page (// www.bulldog.ca/brunico/), a subscriber id number is needed to operate the search engine.

Currently, @Brunico’s electronic file of Playback issues dates back to December 1993, while the Strategy file dates from July 1992. Eventually, the databases will go back as early as 1991. Playback launched Sept. 29, 1986. Strategy’s first issue was Sept. 11, 1989.

The @Brunico Web site will be expanded in time to include additional revenue-generating services such as advertising, company press releases, info on events and hot links to corporate Web sites.

Brunico’s own Internet provider is Magic Online Services Toronto, while the @Brunico Web site was developed with Empower Computerware, Toronto.