In this article: Building an iTunes for Newspapers Answering David Carr’s excellent challenge. Slate.com writer and PressBox editor Jack Shafer asks for ideas regarding news dissemination.
“I’m not a fan of the PDF-like editions powered by NewspaperDirect.com, are you? I’ve got a couple of editorial ideas for what a paid online newspaper could do for me that a Web or print version can’t. Send yours to slate.pressbox@gmail.com, and we’ll write the sequel together. (E-mail may be quoted by name in “The Fray,” Slate’s readers’ forum; in a future article; or elsewhere unless the writer stipulates otherwise. Permanent disclosure: Slate is owned by the Washington Post Co.)”
Here is my email to slate.pressbox.@gmail.com:
Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Jack,
I linked the hell out of this thing so you know where i’m coming from.
I pitched the following (infinite zoning) idea to the washington post this past summer (graduate production intern) to Steve Hills, Katharine Weymouth and Goli Sheikholeslami. They liked it, but told me the company was focusing on their “online” growth. http://metaprinter.com/?p=400 This is where I think general interest newspapers need to go.
My audience at The Post didn’t fully grasped the concept of how this type of publication could change the way news and advertising is delivered. You want to make money so you can continue doing journalism right? Well how can you do it online only? You can’t. No general interest news site can. Not without subsidy. http://metaprinter.com/?p=1075
NewspaperDirect.com is great for libraries and cruise ships, that’s their target market. But you are correct in assuming it is cumbersome as a daily read. Check out the Readius in this interview I did w/newspaperdirect. http://metaprinter.com/?p=286 An apple version of this multitool will kill all the readers on day one. http://metaprinter.com/?p=881
In the big picture / long term newspapers must figure out what unmet need they are now fulfilling while operating in the internet paradigm and how much money they can realistically expect to generate. The Newspaper Publishers’ Dilemma – Is $179 Million the New $890 Million? http://metaprinter.com/?p=987 It is very hard to monetize a general information news site. Niche publications like IBD, and WSJ have an easier time. http://metaprinter.com/?p=1419
Add to all this the fact that advertising is fundamentaly changing to listing sites and internet marketing like this http://metaprinter.com/?p=1400
In conclusion, there is very little evidence to suggest that a general interest newspaper can become economically sustainable operating in the internet paradigm. The content is almost valueless. General interest newspapers must seriously ask themselves what need they are now fulfilling in the internet paradigm. Is it just news content? Does the content have intrinsic value?(for example: financial info for business decisions, kansas basketball for sports nuts and gambling decisions) NO? Do you have angel investors like Joan Kroc (NPR) or The Church (Christian Science Monitor http://metaprinter.com/?p=1032)? NO? Then shut it down and start a non-profit. Otherwise, the only other way for a general interest newspaper to retain value is through its distribution routes (infinite zoning).
I hope one newspaper tries this, if only to prove me wrong. But I expect more worthless solutions like what we see coming out of Detroit. http://metaprinter.com/?p=1220
Best regards,
Robert Ivan
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