Rupert Murdoch is going to shut down his Londonpaper in the UK as a cost-cutting measure while at the same time preparing to begin charging for news content online. A harbinger of things to come? Will people pay for online content? And is shutting down offline content part of the deal?
Source: CNN EUROPE
I for one won’t pay for online content. In a way – I already do by having to pay exorbitant fees just to BE online. I reckon folks like Corey Doctorow have the right attitude towards online media: http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&view=bsp&ver=1qygpcgurkovy
Folks like Rupert are not only an embarrassing export for us Aussies (I apologize on behalf on this southern nation/island), they are also friggin dinosaurs with outmoded ways of thinking. If he can’t get get with the program: that online content should be free, but can STILL generate money in the process of getting that media into a physical form (like a book; DVD etc), then folks like Rupert should find that proverbial peat bog, sink into it, and wait to be discovered as a curio by future generations.
Meh. My two cents.
In my opinion, it really depends on the medium used for reading, and the charged price. As for now, reading medium aren’t good enough. Kindles are prehistoric devices.
I’ve discovered lately that, in spite of all I ever said on the subject, we do buy apps for my wife’s iphone. If we need them that is. And if they don’t go over $1 prices.
Online editors are too greedy. You can’t expect people to pay 10$ for an online book, which costs NOTHING to either manufacture or distribute. The only remaining elements in the production chain are the author, and the editor/advertiser (if there is one). Micropayment is the key, I guess. If it’s cheap, people will buy it. Then buisiness models will rely strongly on advertisement & community building.
With new devices like the Macbook-Touch announced for next year (http://www.macbook-touch.info/ (French site sorry)) I’m positive things will change. Fast.
When you think of it : why the hell read a comic printed on paper in the narrow & gloomy CMYK color space when you will be able to have an auto-updating one on a REAL, comfortable ebook-reader, with the full quality of RGB color ?
(fingers crossed)
Well, don’t you need compelling content? It has been a very long time since I have seen much in the way of compelling content in newspapers (online or otherwise).
The London paper had ink that came off on your hands hence I did not read it. It was always a bit more gossipy than the Lite but I’d not pay to read it, I’d rather buy a book.