newspapers | Internet Marketing Blog

The Guardian and WikiLeaks: is this the future of journalism?

For journalists, the present day may seem like both the best of times and the worst of times.

Traditional news organizations, disrupted by the internet, are struggling, making it harder to turn journalism into profit.

But at the same time, change brought about by the internet is creating exciting new opportunities for journalism.

by Patricio Robles 02 September 2011 13:11pm 4 comments

Does Slovakia hold the secret to paywall success?

Here's a question most publishers would love to have an answer to: what's the secret to building a successful pay wall?

Although one might expect major publishers like the New York Times to eventually provide the answer, newspapers in Slovakia may have beat their Western counterparts to the task.

by Patricio Robles 06 July 2011 15:39pm 4 comments

NY Post: dumbest iPad strategy ever?

The iPad is a source of hope for many traditional publishers. Which explains why publishing moguls like Rupert Murdoch are investing lots of time and money into the tablet device.

But not all iPad strategies are created equal, and one of Murdoch's newspapers, the New York Post, may have the dubious distinction of executing the dumbest iPad strategy yet.

That strategy: in an effort to get readers to pony up for the newspaper's $6.99/month app, block the Safari browser on the iPad from accessing content on the nypost.com website, content that's freely available via any other browser.

by Patricio Robles 20 June 2011 16:43pm 2 comments

Why the Financial Times can circumvent Apple, and others can't

For traditional publishers, the Apple has been a blessing and a curse. On one hand, its iOS devices, including the iPad, have created hope and inspired thought about the future of publishing. On the other hand, it's clear that it is no savior.

It's not into charity either. Case in point: the 30% cut Apple demands from subscriptions sold in iOS apps. Begrudgingly, many publishers have agreed to this fee. But not all.

by Patricio Robles 11 June 2011 12:01pm 8 comments

The Wall Street Journal: WikiLeaks 2.0?

Journalism or not? Ethical or unethical? WikiLeaks, the infamous internet-based organization that releases sensitive and often-classified material that is leaked to it, is perhaps one of the most controversial organizations in the world today.

But despite the controversy surrounding WikiLeaks, it appears that at least one major newspaper is envious enough of what it's doing to start its own online service designed to allow 'whistleblowers' to share their wares.

by Patricio Robles 06 May 2011 18:38pm 3 comments

Newspaper circulation declines, even with free copies

Newspapers need help anywhere they can get it, and the Audit Bureau of Circulations is trying to help. Recently, it updated the rules it uses to calculate newspaper circulation.

One of the changes: free copies given to local schools and newspaper employees are now counted.

That should help, right? Apparently, it's not that easy. Despite the Audit Bureau of Circulations' good intentions, newspaper circulation in the U.S. continues to decline.

by Patricio Robles 04 May 2011 14:28pm 4 comments

Social media: opinions are like...

Newspapers face numerous challenges in the digital age. From online business models to organizational structure, many newspapers are struggling to find their way in the world.

And then there are the 'smaller' challenges that are sometimes just as thorny. One of these: the importance of journalist objectivity.

by Patricio Robles 06 April 2011 15:01pm 1 comment

Financial Times: we don't need in-app subscriptions

Traditional publishers have known better days. The business models of the past are failing, and new ones that can take their place are, for many publishers, elusive.

But a few, like The Financial Times, are not just surviving, they're thriving. And increasingly, they're extending their success into new channels and onto new platforms.

by Patricio Robles 05 April 2011 10:00am 3 comments

NY Times pay wall: the good, the bad, the ugly

One of the most storied news dailies, The New York Times, has been talking about a pay wall for well over a year. Like most newspapers, times are tough, and to survive and thrive, new sources of revenue must be found. For obvious reasons, subscriptions are one of the most appealing potential revenue sources.

Yesterday, The New York Times finally pulled the trigger and announced that it will be launching a paid subscription model later this month.

by Patricio Robles 22 March 2011 23:31pm 3 comments

iPad magazine strategy: recycle old content?

Many print publishers hoped that the iPad would do more for them than it has done thus far, but that doesn't mean that the iPad, and tablet computing in general, doesn't have potential.

The challenge: figuring out a strategy that works. Trying to charge more for your newspaper on the iPad than it costs in print doesn't seem all that sensible, and creating tablet-only dailies doesn't exactly come off as a smart investment given the economics of the publishing business today.

However, Condé Nast might have stumbled upon a concept that might be a viable part of a larger strategy: take old, existing content, repurpose it and sell it as a new product.

by Patricio Robles 12 January 2011 14:18pm 1 comment