journalism online
Latest
New York Times sees higher circulation numbers, digital paywall smiles knowingly
Given how aggressively The New York Times pushes its digital packages -- we've long since dropped our subscription yet are still bombarded with offers -- you'd hope the paper was at least seeing some results. Well, never fear: it is. A report by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) found that the Times has seen a healthy increase in circulation, with the Sunday edition selling 2,003,247 copies (up 50 percent from last year) and the weekday editions racking in an average of 1,586,757 (up 73 percent). The ABC attributes much of this gain to the NYT's addition of digital access to paper subscriptions, and we're sure the paywall, which limits non-subscribers to just ten free articles a month, has something to do with it, too.
Philly papers to offer subscribers discounted Android tablets that make terrible birdcage lining (video)
As the internet has overtaken newspapers as an information source, convincing readers to shell out the dough for online news has proven an uphill battle. Now two papers are trying a new approach: entice customers with discounted Android tablets and pre-loaded content apps. The Philadelphia Media Network, which owns the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News, is planning a pilot program for mid-August which will offer around 2,000 tablets; if successful, it could expand to more readers. The combined price of hardware and a one- to two-year daily subscription should be about half of retail. So far we have few details on what you'll get for your money, but expect a WiFi tablet from a major manufacturer, with 3G and/or 4G possible in the future. If you're from the city of brotherly love and want more details on this early-stage plan, see the video after the break.
Murdoch plans digital-only paid newspaper for tablets and phones
We can't honestly say whether The Wall Street Journal's laggy iPad rendition was a success at $17.29 per month, but either way Rupert Murdoch's News Corp is gearing up for another try at this whole digital news thing. The LA Times reports that Murdoch is planning an entirely new national publication for the iPad and other devices -- in other words, not just a print-to-digital conversion this time. "Unlike News Corp.'s business-centric Wall Street Journal, the new digital newspaper would target a more general readership, offering short, snappy stories that could be digested quickly," writes the Times, adding that sources say the digital paper could launch by the end of the year. Here's hoping it debuts alongside that Skiff Reader, eh?
News Corp buys Skiff e-reader platform, invests in online journalism
When Rupert Murdoch was asked whether or not News Corp would be launching an e-reader of its own, he answered: "I don't think that's likely." It seems that what he meant was: "Why bother? We can just buy Skiff." And for good measure the world's second largest media conglomerate has just launched something called Digital Journalism Initiatives (which is responsible for News Corp's new business efforts in premium digital journalism) and dumped some money into Journalism Online, LLC -- the startup that Steve Brill and co. founded to try and figure out how, exactly, news organizations can keep afloat these days. But don't worry: you're not likely to see a Fair & Balanced e-reader just yet. Apparently, the purchase merely covers the platform and intellectual property. Which leads us to our next question: why is this man smiling? PR after the break.
