Regular John Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8385342.stm Set to start charging for online news articles, EEN and The Scotsman must now be verging on extinction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheile Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8385342.stm Set to start charging for online news articles, EEN and The Scotsman must now be verging on extinction. Once a quality newspaper, now hardly fit to be used as toilet paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Kilpatrick Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 And the advertisers will simply head elsewhere! It's a shame in one sense as I enjoy looking at The Ballymena Times but there's no way I'd pay to access it. As for the Edinburgh publications, forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 It's only being trialled in certain publications at the moment - NOT including the Scotsman or EEN. The titles included in the trial are: the Carrick Gazette, Worksop Guardian, Ripley and Heanor News, Southern Reporter, Whitby Gazette and Northumberland Gazette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csaba's Broon Shoes Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 The Johnstone Press Way You wonder who is ruuning this mob now , Coco the clown with bells on his boots Hows the share price doing these days ? In times where there are so many other media streams and free papers on the go they don't have a clue and have driven their top titles in Scotland into the gutter JP will soon be a thing of the past at this rate They have bitten off more than they can chew and are now chasing their tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwull22 Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 It'll soon be being sold with the Big Issue down fester road way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjambo Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8385342.stm Set to start charging for online news articles, EEN and The Scotsman must now be verging on extinction. No, I don't think this is a sign of extinction. They're just undertaking a trial of a business model that, imo, has little chance of success. There is so much access these days to free news content on the internet that unless all the major media were to adopt a pay-for model (which Murdoch is clumsily trying to do by looking at the construction of a pay wall around his online empire), the media sources who would be left providing free info would succeed. There's not much value-added that you can tack onto news, although I suppose you could try to build a subscriber base on some sort of "rewards" system. No, unless someone can come up with an exciting new model, the only effective solution is to stay free and use online ads as your revenue source. Everyone knows this, but JP are going to give paid access a go anyway. Can they add enough local interest, value and interactivity to pull in a subscriber base? I don't think so but I think they're right to trial it. We're talking a local paper here, a much more closed system than a national paper, with limited competition, where ads can be tightly targeted, free vouchers and offers distributed, a real sense of community and interaction developed. It will be interesting to see how successful they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorgiewave Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 It's only being trialled in certain publications at the moment - NOT including the Scotsman or EEN. The titles included in the trial are: the Carrick Gazette, Worksop Guardian, Ripley and Heanor News, Southern Reporter, Whitby Gazette and Northumberland Gazette. Aye, ****ely written, provincial Hobo-minded paper though the Scotsman may be, I don't suppose any of us want to see blondejamtart out of a job (or my friend who sends advertising for them). Good luck to you and your colleagues blondejt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rev Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 How big is their debt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Busby ! Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 No, I don't think this is a sign of extinction. They're just undertaking a trial of a business model that, imo, has little chance of success. There is so much access these days to free news content on the internet that unless all the major media were to adopt a pay-for model (which Murdoch is clumsily trying to do by looking at the construction of a pay wall around his online empire), the media sources who would be left providing free info would succeed. There's not much value-added that you can tack onto news, although I suppose you could try to build a subscriber base on some sort of "rewards" system. No, unless someone can come up with an exciting new model, the only effective solution is to stay free and use online ads as your revenue source. Everyone knows this, but JP are going to give paid access a go anyway. Can they add enough local interest, value and interactivity to pull in a subscriber base? I don't think so but I think they're right to trial it. We're talking a local paper here, a much more closed system than a national paper, with limited competition, where ads can be tightly targeted, free vouchers and offers distributed, a real sense of community and interaction developed. It will be interesting to see how successful they are. Agreed. The value add to me are good columnists. Some whom I like, such as Iain MacWhirter of The Herald, those who I dislike such as Alan Cochrane of The Telegraph ... but who I feel compelled to read regardless. The day to day news I can get from the BBC 24/7. How much am I prepared to pay to read good journalism, good columnists, though ? Dunno. The pricing of that is going to be hard to arrive at and with Murdoch wanting to move to subscription as well, its going to be an interesting time in the media world .. and plenty of casualties for those who get it wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Thor Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 No, I don't think this is a sign of extinction. They're just undertaking a trial of a business model that, imo, has little chance of success. There is so much access these days to free news content on the internet that unless all the major media were to adopt a pay-for model (which Murdoch is clumsily trying to do by looking at the construction of a pay wall around his online empire), the media sources who would be left providing free info would succeed. There's not much value-added that you can tack onto news, although I suppose you could try to build a subscriber base on some sort of "rewards" system. No, unless someone can come up with an exciting new model, the only effective solution is to stay free and use online ads as your revenue source. Everyone knows this, but JP are going to give paid access a go anyway. Can they add enough local interest, value and interactivity to pull in a subscriber base? I don't think so but I think they're right to trial it. We're talking a local paper here, a much more closed system than a national paper, with limited competition, where ads can be tightly targeted, free vouchers and offers distributed, a real sense of community and interaction developed. It will be interesting to see how successful they are. You could argue that the whole notion of pay to read is a big gamble. Titles like the EEN and Scotsman are parochial in the extreme and with a paper like the EEN i'd suggest that the majority of paper copy buyers are 45+ and the majority of on-line viewers are 45 and below. Taking it to pay to view would drive the promiscuous younger users to another media outlet to get the same info IMO. The Scotsman may be marginally different but i'd say only marginally. I think the whole pay-to-read model over-estimates hugely the ability to convert visting a site to subscribing to it. I wouldn't subscribe to a JP title or a Murdoch title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjambo Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 You could argue that the whole notion of pay to read is a big gamble. Titles like the EEN and Scotsman are parochial in the extreme and with a paper like the EEN i'd suggest that the majority of paper copy buyers are 45+ and the majority of on-line viewers are 45 and below. Taking it to pay to view would drive the promiscuous younger users to another media outlet to get the same info IMO. The Scotsman may be marginally different but i'd say only marginally. I think the whole pay-to-read model over-estimates hugely the ability to convert visting a site to subscribing to it. I wouldn't subscribe to a JP title or a Murdoch title. I agree, and I think it's a gamble that won't work. Papers are on the way out, and there are just too many alternative outlets and news sources available on the web for a news-only service to be viable on a pay-to-read basis (unless it's marketing itself at a very niche market with limited or no alternative information sources available). So, if media companies want to attract clientelle on a paying basis, and not depend on revenue from advertisers on a pay per click basis, they are going to have to tie-in to other services such as music and games download, online storage, computer support, financial offers and discounts etc. etc., and even monetise their clientelle in terms of a source of market research data, in order to be financially viable. Customer loyalty will have to be gained through a combination of the "feel-good factor" and financial benefits, including loyalty and rewards systems. It's going to be tough for the media companies to keep this going however as the level of competition will lead to constant need for new services, new models, new ways of getting the punters in and attempting to keep them in. As Drew said, it's going to be an interesting time in the media world. The BBC, with its independent funding sources, is going to have a ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K1874M Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 The paid for content will lose its google listings Page impressions served will drop Revenue will drop from online ads Will the revenue drop that much that it will surpass the revenue generated from the paid for content? I think so but only time will tell. Those in print that have tried to protect print revenues and in turn taking there eye of there online offering are fecked. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungry hippo Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 In television, Freeview has proven to be a major success. The strategy of the channels receiving income from advertising rather than fees is the opposite type of model to what JP are proposing. Good example being Film 4 converting ti Freeview from subscription as they could generate more cash from ads than a monthly charge. What Murdoch & co need to realise is that there is a reason Freeview, The Metro etc are popular and people will not pay a fee to subscribe as marketing will always ensure there is an alternative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 In television, Freeview has proven to be a major success. The strategy of the channels receiving income from advertising rather than fees is the opposite type of model to what JP are proposing. Good example being Film 4 converting ti Freeview from subscription as they could generate more cash from ads than a monthly charge. What Murdoch & co need to realise is that there is a reason Freeview, The Metro etc are popular and people will not pay a fee to subscribe as marketing will always ensure there is an alternative. To be fair I don't think Murdoch gets much wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hungry hippo Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 To be fair I don't think Murdoch gets much wrong. Can't argue with that Dave. In this case I think he is trying to use his muscle (as he has successfully done many times) to try get the industry to act as one to charge for access. He knows it will be very difficult to act alone on this one due to the nature of the internet and could do with all major newspapers rising prices simultaneously like the utility companies to ensure there is no real price war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gentleman Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 To be fair I don't think Murdoch gets much wrong. Well, I reckon he's going to get it wrong this time (he nearly sent Murdoch Press insolvent about 10 years ago because of misjudgement). He's human and therefore fundamentally flawed. And, he 'isnae a spring chicken any longer. And his heir apparent isn't too bloody smart either. The days of print media are dying a slow death. If RP thinks digital subsribers are going to flood his coffers, he's got another thing coming. But what goes around, comes around. Once the lithographic/digital presses are shut down, that rich source of revenue - the Classifieds - will be forced to advertise on their Online medium. Game, set and match; the advertisers will pay more - we'll get the 'paper' fror free. Just the way of the world - we adapt, we adopt, we accept, because we have no alternative. Cue, (to all those potentially affected); upgrade your skills to our 'New Media' age; unless you really want to be unemployed. You have no alternative (been there, done that). Not pleasant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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