Media

USA Today’s Larry Kramer: “We have to give you reasons to buy it”

By Staci D. Kramer May. 30, 2012, 3:45pm No Comments

Nearly 30 years ago, Gannett revolutionized newspapers with colorful, breezy USA Today. Now it’s up to new publisher Larry Kramer to forge a digital strategy while revitalizing a dated print edition that still has the largest U.S. print circ. The digital vet talks to paidContent about … Read More »

Financial Times exec: iOS apps don’t work for publishers

By Janko Roettgers May. 23, 2012, 4:04pm 4 Comments

FT.com Managing Director Rob Grimshaw made no secret of his distaste for Apple’s in-app subscription terms at padContent 2012. iOS apps don’t work for publishers, he told the audience, and the Financial Times’ decision to leave the iTunes store was a success. Read More »

NYT says bye bye, Red Sox; sells last Fenway shares

By Staci D. Kramer May. 11, 2012, 4:21pm 1 Comment

Nearly four years after the process began, the New York Times Co. finally has sold its remaining shares in the Green Monster, the New England Sports Network and other sports assets. Initial investment: $75 million. Final haul: $225 million. Read More »

Search engines have same speech rights as the New York Times, says Google report

By Jeff John Roberts May. 9, 2012, 6:00am 12 Comments

Just as the New York Times can decide “All the News That’s Fit to Print,” search engines have a free speech right to choose who or what to put in their search rankings. Read More »

Paywall site Ongo, backed by NYT and WaPo, folds after 16 months

By Laura Hazard Owen May. 8, 2012, 5:04pm 5 Comments

Paywall solutions are having a bad month. Google shuttered One Pass at the end of April. Now paywall and news aggregation site Ongo, which launched in January 2011 with $12 million in funding from the New York Times, Washington Post and Gannett, is closing. Read More »

Do interns need a Bill of Rights? Maybe the New York Times could take the lead

By Jeff John Roberts May. 7, 2012, 6:10pm 5 Comments

Another day, another exploited intern. This time, it’s the New York Times raising awareness about the legions of unpaid young people who work their hearts out in media or fashion and get shafted in return. Read More »

ProQuest’s Udini is a cloud-based research tool for regular people

By Laura Hazard Owen May. 7, 2012, 1:11pm 1 Comment

Online research database ProQuest’s usual customers are libraries and other large institutions that can afford to pay a lot for access. ProQuest’s new cloud-based tool, Udini, aims to make Internet research easy and affordable for everyday people — and builds in some Evernote and Instapaper-inspired features. Read More »

The Morning Lowdown 4-20-12

By Jeff John Roberts Apr. 20, 2012, 8:21am No Comments

Here are some of the stories people are talking about this morning: paidContent 2012 adds Pottermore CEO Charlie Redmayne (paidContent) … All Eyes Turn to Windows 8 (Wall Street Journal) Read More »

Does the LA Times paywall smack readers in the face?

By Jeff John Roberts Apr. 4, 2012, 1:14pm 1 Comment

Newspapers everywhere are tinkering with “metered paywalls” in the hopes of hitting up the right mix of exclusion and access. The Los Angeles Times became the latest such paywall player last month, limiting readers to 15 stories a month unless they pay for a digital subscription. Read More »