Apple’s iPad is killing print newspaper subscriptions, according to a new survey by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri.
“About 58.1 percent of respondents who subscribe to print newspapers said they would likely cancel that subscription within the next six months,” said eWeek, reporting the findings. “Another 10.7 percent said they had already canceled their subscriptions in favor of digital-only news consumption through their iPad.”
The rest of the article is here.
The survey offered hope that newspapers who write apps for the iPad and charge for online subscriptions can make the transition. In May, I wrote that The Union had quietly launched an iPhone app; this weekend it made an “official” announcement of its plan. But there still is no iPad app.
As I’ve written many times before, the hurdles are high for any newspaper to make enough money from online:
*Newsroom cultures still are not geared to 24/7 reporting that mobil readers demand. Our local media largely goes “dark” on weekends. By contrast, readers on this blog provided real-time updates of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” vote in the Senate while I was “out of pocket” (visiting a Curious George exhibit with my family in S.F.). I had posted an item earlier in the day that repeal of the policy was expected, and the readers provided the update.
*Newspapers aren’t making anywhere near enough money from web ads to cover their fixed costs. Our local media is hanging on to the “print model,” and I would argue, tailoring its editorial content to meet that older demographic (at the expense of the rest of the community).
*The iPad has been a catalyst to other tablet devices, and the trend will continue. The cost of the devices will drop along the way.
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I subscribe to the Davis Enterprise because lately I live in Davis on weekdays. Every day there is at least one news story I wouldn’t want to miss. The same subscription required to the print version allows access to the internet version. If I live out of the area I would not have to get the print version but the price is the same. I believe that on some days non subscribers can read the Enterprise on line. It is an interesting system. The Enterprise was also voted the best small newspaper in California.
I believe there is a great untapped potential in blogs by allowing interaction with the news and each other. There is a logistics issue about mixing different types of contributors. I hope there will be a means for readers to break off and follow certain discussion threads more easily while ignoring others, like in a side conversation. The internet culture would repel visitors here who weren’t appreciated rather than requiring a moderator, or what if a commenter could moderate a discussion thread they started? I believe this idea will come to pass in the near future.
I haven’t touched an actual newspaper for year, except for a Fry’s flyer someone handed me a few months ago. I do all my news reading on a screen, either desktop, laptop and most recently, iPad.
Newspapers are big and floppy, get newsprint all over my hands, need to be recycled or otherwise disposed of, and the news is hours to days old by the time it makes it into print. Unless you find one that has been discarded, you pay to read and there still are lots and lots of ads. Traditional newspapers are still good for training puppies, however.
I can hold an iPad in one hand, the news is searchable and current, I can read it in the dark without a light, I can read news not only from newspapers, but from TV and other media including blogs from around the globe. While some content is behind paywalls, I can get enough quality free and ad supported content that I don’t have to pay for premium content if I don’t want to.
Any questions?