An idea to save UK newspapers

5/08/2009

plastic-logic-preview

I know this might sound a little bit over the top, but many people in the blogosphere are talking lately about the evolution of newspapers and how to charge for content more specifically. Well, I believe that charging for online content is not the best idea to rejuvenate the print industry.

What I believe is that the print industry should replace the physical paper with another method to distribute content rather than online. If that sounds interesting enough, continue reading.

The latest buzz in the race to save newspapers is charging for content and the buzzword seems to be micropayments. Dave Lee gives 20 practical and innovative ways to introduce micropayments for newspapers while Shane Croucher talks about group subscriptions for multiple online publications. But allow me to respectfully disagree with both of them, and a few others whose blogs I read through the time and can’t remember right now.

UK newspaper groups should unite and jointly create an electronic reader, following the model of the Amazon Kindle but with a few changes. Pictured within this post is a prototype from Plastic Logic (based in the UK, Germany and USA). There was an interesting piece in the New York Times about Plastic Logic’s e-reader project potential, but the e-reader I envision is somehow a combination between the Amazon Kindle and Sony’s new Reader Touch Edition.

The ideal e-newsreader (let’s just call it that way for the moment) would have a 6″ to 8″ inch e-ink screen (with a color screen scheduled for the second iteration of the product) and a touchscreen like the Sony Reader Touch Edition, instead of a full keyboard like the Amazon Kindle. It has to be thin, with a great battery life (up to two weeks or more) and also recharge wirelessly via an accessory like the Palm Touchstone.

plastic-logic-2

But most importantly, the UK e-newsreader should have an Amazon Whispersync equivalent, basically free bundled access to 3G data, used to download content on the device wherever and whenever needed. Plus, the interface should be very touch friendly (take a lesson or two from the iPhone) and the reading interface should more be like Harry Potter’s The Daily Prophet (which is soon to get real as well according to The Times). Having moving images, audio clips and adaptive traditional newspaper layouts is a very important point and would differentiate the e-newsreader from the regular e-book readers who basically display a PDF-like static document.

I know, I know, most of these things are already out there in some form or another, but there’s nothing in the UK or the US whatsoever to combine all the features listed above. And the next big step would be to actually sell this device.

Newspaper groups should subsidise the e-newsreader, in a similar way wireless carriers subsidise mobile phones. There’s an interesting story about how The New York Times costs twice as much as sending every subscriber a free Kindle. With that in mind, newspaper groups could slowly replace print subscriptions to e-newsreaders. Besides making savings from subscriptions (printing, distribution, commissions) and bringing more interactive and innovative ways to advertise, newspapers could also persuade some readers on the benefits to the environment this move could bring.

plasticlogic3

However, I don’t think selling individual newspaper subscriptions would be enough. Newspaper groups should sell subscriptions in packages of several publications (a point from Shane’s idea) – an example being Trinity Mirror group selling a subscription bundle for the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and one’s local newspaper such as the Lincolnshire Echo in my case. That, plus a free e-newsreader for something like £60 per year would be a great deal. Add to this the advertising revenue the group makes and subtract all the huge savings from bypassing printing and distribution and this way the newspaper groups can start making some good profits.

So here’s the executive summary:

  • Sleek thin device with wireless downloads and moving pictures
  • Device subsidised by newspaper groups
  • Subscription bundles for newspapers from the same group

There are 2 comments in this article:

  1. 6/08/2009Shane Croucher said:

    I like it a lot. I’ll be honest – I’m a bit of a tech dinosaur so this is the first I’ve heard of this.

    Are you saying that this would replace the printed newspaper entirely? It’s just some readers still like the printed word (the elderly being the most obvious). But then again, I guess it would be evolutionary. As they die (sorry to sound so pragmatic about the passing of old people) I guess the demand for print news would fall.

    Also, are these things delicate? That could be an issue. If they’re prone to breaking after a bit of rough and tumble in a suitcase then I could see it being quite unpopular.

    However, in theory it’s got great potential. Drastic cutting of printing costs, distribution etc would be hugely beneficial to the newspapers.

    I just wonder if everyone would take to technology like this?

    What were the newspapers who were interested in using them?

  2. 6/08/2009Daniel Ionescu said:

    Shane,

    The point of these e-newsreaders is to replace the whole print industry in let’s say 5 to 10 years.

    The first black-and white edition of the device would get the first wave of techies and young people while the second generation (with color screen) would be more mature and more prone to adoption by the masses. If the e-newsreader would be very accessible and would offer a great deal in terms of both subscriptions and price, of course.

    These e-book readers are not that delicate. Not more delicate than a mobile phone. A good case for it (book-like but from leatherette) could do a good job at protecting it.

    The Amazon Kindle is a hit and already sold over 1.5 million devices by some estimates. And keep in mind that the Kindle is $299 and not subsidised by any newspaper group.

Write a comment: