Comments on: How to really save your newspaper http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/ Thoughts on the future of publishing Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:24:37 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Why does Windows cost $183? — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2661 Why does Windows cost $183? — Eat Sleep Publish Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:15:48 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2661 [...] you want to charge money for your news, and I think you should, then you have to provide some lasting value to your offering; that may come in the form of access [...] [...] you want to charge money for your news, and I think you should, then you have to provide some lasting value to your offering; that may come in the form of access [...]

]]> By: Peter Nelson http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2629 Peter Nelson Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:21:15 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2629 How do you actually IMPLEMENT metered content? The whole concept of metered content is based on the idea that they can consistently recognize "me" over multiple accesses of their content. Cookies and Flash-persistent objects won't help with that because, like most privacy-conscious web surfers, mine are automatically deleted or scrambled regularly. IP addresses won't work because most users today are using DHCP either from their IT department or ISP, which means their IP address changes frequently (and it can be forced to change at will by any users who wants to cover his tracks). Other browser-specific content can be reset at will as well. On the other hand, if you force people to register and then log in every time they want to read an article that's a big hassle that would turn away lots of readers. I think newspapers were a wonderful phenomenon which grew out of some unique historical circumstances of the 19th and 20th centuries and there's nothing like them which can survive in the 21st century. This is very sad because local and small daily newspapers were the only ones covering city hall in small and medium communities. That kind of reporting (town zoning commission, or who got the snow-plowing contract for next winter) does not attract enough readers to monetize, but without it we're going to have a golden age of small town government corruption. How do you actually IMPLEMENT metered content? The whole concept of metered content is based on the idea that they can consistently recognize “me” over multiple accesses of their content. Cookies and Flash-persistent objects won’t help with that because, like most privacy-conscious web surfers, mine are automatically deleted or scrambled regularly. IP addresses won’t work because most users today are using DHCP either from their IT department or ISP, which means their IP address changes frequently (and it can be forced to change at will by any users who wants to cover his tracks). Other browser-specific content can be reset at will as well.

On the other hand, if you force people to register and then log in every time they want to read an article that’s a big hassle that would turn away lots of readers.

I think newspapers were a wonderful phenomenon which grew out of some unique historical circumstances of the 19th and 20th centuries and there’s nothing like them which can survive in the 21st century. This is very sad because local and small daily newspapers were the only ones covering city hall in small and medium communities. That kind of reporting (town zoning commission, or who got the snow-plowing contract for next winter) does not attract enough readers to monetize, but without it we’re going to have a golden age of small town government corruption.

]]> By: WSJ to find out micrpayments don’t work — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2260 WSJ to find out micrpayments don’t work — Eat Sleep Publish Mon, 11 May 2009 18:08:31 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2260 [...] that the WSJ will have more success than other news organizations with a micropayment option, but I firmly believe that subscription premium content is the way to go. I think a “day pass” is as micro as it gets. Subscribe to Eat [...] [...] that the WSJ will have more success than other news organizations with a micropayment option, but I firmly believe that subscription premium content is the way to go. I think a “day pass” is as micro as it gets. Subscribe to Eat [...]

]]> By: Online ad revenue shifting in the recession — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2236 Online ad revenue shifting in the recession — Eat Sleep Publish Fri, 01 May 2009 17:22:46 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2236 [...] what many people think, micropayments will never work, and there IS a way to charge for news. Subscribe to Eat Sleep Publish  Email This [...] [...] what many people think, micropayments will never work, and there IS a way to charge for news. Subscribe to Eat Sleep Publish  Email This [...]

]]> By: Media Executive consider metered content — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2146 Media Executive consider metered content — Eat Sleep Publish Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:33:41 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2146 [...] New York Times reports that media industry bigwigs are building the technology to offer metered content and a turnkey solution to existing news brands: As the company envisions the system, a non-paying [...] [...] New York Times reports that media industry bigwigs are building the technology to offer metered content and a turnkey solution to existing news brands: As the company envisions the system, a non-paying [...]

]]> By: “What went wrong” with newspapers wasn’t what went wrong — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-2134 “What went wrong” with newspapers wasn’t what went wrong — Eat Sleep Publish Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:22:46 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-2134 [...] fact is that there are fundamental economic forces at work that drive the price of online content down to zero. In the face of this kind of pressure, [...] [...] fact is that there are fundamental economic forces at work that drive the price of online content down to zero. In the face of this kind of pressure, [...]

]]> By: The Pitch: Roundup — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-1937 The Pitch: Roundup — Eat Sleep Publish Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:05:36 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-1937 [...] and I’m sure that although I know at least one person went home disappointed (sorry! check here…maybe interesting?), many people got a chance to share their opinions, which to me is really [...] [...] and I’m sure that although I know at least one person went home disappointed (sorry! check here…maybe interesting?), many people got a chance to share their opinions, which to me is really [...]

]]> By: What do you pay for? — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-1794 What do you pay for? — Eat Sleep Publish Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:49:13 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-1794 [...] the fact that said psychological lesson is one huge reason that micropayments will never work, it also conveniently skips over there part where the user has a choice about whether or not to pay [...] [...] the fact that said psychological lesson is one huge reason that micropayments will never work, it also conveniently skips over there part where the user has a choice about whether or not to pay [...]

]]> By: Printed Matters » Paywall madness: Dec. 2008 - Feb. 2009 http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-1793 Printed Matters » Paywall madness: Dec. 2008 - Feb. 2009 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:12:45 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-1793 [...] 09, 2009 - 12:41 pm How to really save your newspaper by Jason [...] [...] 09, 2009 – 12:41 pm How to really save your newspaper by Jason [...]

]]> By: Clay Shirky weighs in on small payments again — Eat Sleep Publish http://eatsleeppublish.com/how-to-really-save-your-newspaper/comment-page-1/#comment-1737 Clay Shirky weighs in on small payments again — Eat Sleep Publish Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:53:43 +0000 http://eatsleeppublish.com/?p=1424#comment-1737 [...] response to the TIME article I recently wrote about, and other references to micropayments: Such systems solve no problem the user has, and offer no [...] [...] response to the TIME article I recently wrote about, and other references to micropayments: Such systems solve no problem the user has, and offer no [...]

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