How the Kindle could save the New York Times - Page 2

HarryT · 02-02-2009, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolcat1901

People worldwide read the NY Times? I guess I learn something new every day.

Certainly - it's one of the world's best-known newspapers and, like the London Times, you'll see it on sale all over Europe.

aapezzuto · 02-02-2009, 05:43 AM

Currently the idea of them completely abandoning print is purely academic. As soon as you look at the current off the shelf tech, its obvious that they would loose some decent part of their reader base.

However, businesses looking seriously at what they would have to do to make a change like this, as far as infrastructure, in house changes, etc. are exactly what electronic reading needs to have happen. As devices become more prevalent, interfaces become more responsive, and intuitive, and as time has allowed non-gadget people to warm up to ebook readers this could become a reality. However I think to do this right would take six months to two years of internal changes before they would be ready for it.

In the mean time a more reasonable question is, could they make an offer for this that could increase profit margins, while decreasing overhead?

kleykenb · 02-02-2009, 07:49 AM

I have absolutely no idea how the Kindle exactly works but isn't there also the added cost of a 3G or Wifi connection ? At 4 to 8 cents per download it would still be a pretty big extra cost/paper and enough of a cost to make the whole idea impossible to realise.

Realistically I think only multi-year newspaper subscriptions could ever make it viable economically to 'give away' these devices. You really don't want to start with this only to find another newspaper piggy-backs on your efforts and steals away your customers leaving you with bill of the readers !

You'd also have to consider the fact that if you give away these devices you would also have to support them in some way if they do not manage to get their newspaper on their device. Yet another extra cost.

Not to mention the fact that it probably would take years to produce enough devices , right now e-book readers already are often 'sold-out' and I wouldn't be suprised if the bottleneck is really with the production of the e-Ink screens themselves since all the vendors of ebook readers seem to be "sold out" frequently !
E-ink production seems to still be relatively small-scale and it would take time to scale that up.

tompe · 02-02-2009, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, that was the point I was making about the overseas readers too. They'd have to maintain the printing plant, and for a smaller number of copies printed the overhead per copy would be a lot higher than it is now.

In US the New York Times is printed at a lot of places (found one document that said 24 places). And I would think that the international edition is printed outside US. So you will not get any higher overhead if you replace the output from one printer with Kindle editions.

Phogg · 02-03-2009, 02:43 PM

I don't think there is ANY possibility of the Kindle (or anything else) saving the New York Times.

astrodad · 02-06-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phogg

I don't think there is ANY possibility of the Kindle (or anything else) saving the New York Times.

I agree. It's a sinking ship. Let it go down, in my opinion.

MsAstoria · 02-07-2009, 10:30 AM

For me, I just want the headline stories and sometimes the editorials so downloading e-version of Times, Associated Press, and BBC through Calibre to my device gives me all the pertinent info I want from around the world on a daily basis. Since I live in a rural area, this keeps current and at no cost! I love the internet!

02-02-2009, 07:49 AM	#18
kleykenb Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 99 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: DR1kS/Cy3	too early I have absolutely no idea how the Kindle exactly works but isn't there also the added cost of a 3G or Wifi connection ? At 4 to 8 cents per download it would still be a pretty big extra cost/paper and enough of a cost to make the whole idea impossible to realise. Realistically I think only multi-year newspaper subscriptions could ever make it viable economically to 'give away' these devices. You really don't want to start with this only to find another newspaper piggy-backs on your efforts and steals away your customers leaving you with bill of the readers ! You'd also have to consider the fact that if you give away these devices you would also have to support them in some way if they do not manage to get their newspaper on their device. Yet another extra cost. Not to mention the fact that it probably would take years to produce enough devices , right now e-book readers already are often 'sold-out' and I wouldn't be suprised if the bottleneck is really with the production of the e-Ink screens themselves since all the vendors of ebook readers seem to be "sold out" frequently ! E-ink production seems to still be relatively small-scale and it would take time to scale that up.

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02-02-2009, 05:43 AM	#17
aapezzuto Zealot Posts: 116 Karma: 693 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: none	Currently the idea of them completely abandoning print is purely academic. As soon as you look at the current off the shelf tech, its obvious that they would loose some decent part of their reader base. However, businesses looking seriously at what they would have to do to make a change like this, as far as infrastructure, in house changes, etc. are exactly what electronic reading needs to have happen. As devices become more prevalent, interfaces become more responsive, and intuitive, and as time has allowed non-gadget people to warm up to ebook readers this could become a reality. However I think to do this right would take six months to two years of internal changes before they would be ready for it. In the mean time a more reasonable question is, could they make an offer for this that could increase profit margins, while decreasing overhead?

02-03-2009, 02:43 PM	#20
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	I don't think there is ANY possibility of the Kindle (or anything else) saving the New York Times.

02-07-2009, 10:30 AM	#22
MsAstoria Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 47344 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Astoria, Oregon, USA Device: Kindle Fire HDX, iPhone (yes, I read on my phone)	For me, I just want the headline stories and sometimes the editorials so downloading e-version of Times, Associated Press, and BBC through Calibre to my device gives me all the pertinent info I want from around the world on a daily basis. Since I live in a rural area, this keeps current and at no cost! I love the internet!

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