I personally like this move. We all have discussed over the past few years how the newspaper industry has been dying, and how it will become extinct. Although I believe we are moving to the age where there won't be any paper boys delivering papers in the morning, I think this move will preserve the print media. It will be in a different form, but it will not change that much from what we already know. We will read it on an electronic screen rather than ink on paper.
This move will also help ads be targeted towards each individual person or reader, creating a market of one. Apple could use the likes and preferences through itunes to develop advertisements tailored to the individual. This would cut down on flipping through ads in the newspaper and magazines that don't pertain to you.
The only thing that is keeping publishers from going all-in with this is that Apple will receive a cut of the profits. They say that Sony doesn't receive a cut of the profit from tv shows watched on their sets. While I agree with this point, I still believe this move will help increase circulation and readership by substantial amounts. This move and partnership I think will save the newspaper and magazine industry.
I agree with Eric on the idea that the access to news and knowledge is changing. THe days of paper news is over, as we all have so many different outlets of information at hand. It makes me sad to think that the days of paper news and hardcover books are over with the invention of equipment like the ipad, kindle, and smartphones, but this is more of a nastalgia than anything else as it is clear that change is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteAs far as tailoring to the individual, this is agreat idea. If i could specify exactly what news I wanted to read, what region it is from, and the context I am intersted in, this would not only be much easier and time efficient but would also make a great enviornmental impact on the amount of paper and ink saved. I personally throw away about half of the advocate without even reading it, and if news could be tailored to the individual, this would be a great improvement.