Scheduled for this September 29-30 in beautiful San Francisco, California, IntertechPira’s inaugural eReaders 2011 Conference will aim to unite all facets of the eReading industry to discuss the issues and opportunities currently facing the market.

Nikolay Malyarov, NewspaperDirect’s Vice President, Publishing and Legal Affairs will be among the 20 expert speakers/panelists attending the conference assessing market trends, technical development and application-related advances through presentations, question-and-answer sessions and panel discussions.

Nikolay’s presentation, Examining Catalysts for Publisher Priority Shifting, will focus on the emerging eReader market and its impact on the publishing industry today and into the future.

Key points within the presentation will include:

• Why/how will eReaders and tablets help stop the bleeding when newspaper websites failed?
• With news becoming a commodity, how can publishers leverage the eReading market to differentiate themselves?
• What re-thinking needs to take place by publishers to be successful in the growing trend towards mobile news consumption? Who’s doing it right today?  Who’s off track?
• What should publishers’ priorities be over the next 2 years in capitalizing on the eReading trends?

Make sure to catch the compelling talk on Day 1, Thursday, September 29^th, 2011 at 1:45pm.

Cheers,

Michael

Last week, the New York Times joined the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times in confirming something we’ve been preaching for a long time – people are still willing to pay a premium for high-quality news content! We were so excited to read this article from the Columbia Journalism Review, we just had to share it with our readers.

One quarter after establishing their metered paywall, the NYT saw its revenues go up for the first time in twelve quarters! They’ve discovered that up to 15% of their online audience are actually heavy users that are willing to pay for content.Additionally, their new digital deal has encouraged those wavering on renewing their subscriptions to move forward, seeing the value for their money.

If that’s not encouraging enough, the paywall also helped the newspaper’s ad revenues. Contrary to the public opinion that a paywall would slash digital ad revenues, digital advertising actually increased by 16%! Advertisers see the potential with this paywall, as these paid digital subscribers become sort of a premium class of customers whose reading habits they can analyze, which supports targeting and garners higher ad prices.

BCG did a study last year and discovered that large numbers users world-wide were in fact willing to pay for news content, and that the impact on a newspaper’s margins are significant. You can read more on their February 2009 study here.

Our publishers have long known the benefits in choosing a strong technology partner. They focus on doing what they do best – generating quality content, and they let us do what we do best – giving their subscribers what they want, wherever they want it, in print, online or on their mobile device/tablet of choice!

Here at NewspaperDirect, we’re feeling fantastic impacts as well.  With new tablets hitting the market, such as the iPad2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and BlackBerry Playbook, more people than ever are discovering PressDisplay.com and its companion application PressReader and the great value they offer to readers.

It’s exciting to see that people are re-igniting their love of newspapers, and it gives us great pleasure to offer them access to all their favorite publications. As one loyal fan from Australia raves:

“Mighty impressed with PressReader App. For someone who enjoys reading quality newspapers it is pigs’ heaven! $1 a day for unlimited reading.” Neil, Australia

We’re thrilled that the word is spreading on what we’ve known all along, that newspapers aren’t dead and that people are willing to pay for quality news content. With a great app like PressReader, which can give users unlimited access to all their favorite publications worldwide, staying up to date with the news most relevant to you is easier and more convenient than ever!

Cheers!

-Kate

Hi everyone,

Not sure if you read Gary Randazzo’s editorial this week in E&P, called How Digital Editions Can Help Save Newspapers, but if you are a publisher (or work for one) then you really need to read Gary’s article.

According to the Founder of GWR Research, “The printed newspaper has advantages for readers and advertisers that are different from an Internet website, and the digital newspaper edition has delivery options that are different and superior to the print product. And by developing a symbiotic relationship between the print and digital editions and the website, newspapers have the ability to create audiences that can be delivered to advertisers. These audiences can become loyal consumers of newspaper products.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

For years, the digital team at NewspaperDirect has been spreading this gospel at conferences, in meetings with publishers, in magazine articles and on this blog. A number of our publishing partners have embraced it and have invested in their electronic editions AND the marketing of them to their print subscribers, website visitors, through PressDisplay.com (that serves thousands of libraries, hotels and corporate clients), and PressReader for smartphones, tablets and eReaders.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to a publisher’s website and can’t find the link to their digital edition. I know it’s there somewhere, but it’s so small or so far down the page, it’s almost impossible to find. Some publishers give more real estate to banner ads that bring them far less value than their own product. It’s very sad, actually.

Not so with La Presse – one of our more progressive publishing partners who understands the value of its electronic edition and the importance of marketing it. Check out the La Presse home page and you’ll find their latest digital edition issue front and centre on the webpage, above the fold.

And once you click on it, you’re taken to a landing page with a video demonstration on how it all works. I think it’s quite brilliant, myself.

Anyway, you must read Randazzo’s 4 step approach to developing a market in which the print/digital product could be combined with the newspaper’s website in a way that builds market share, revenue and profits. And whatever you do, don’t forget the critical success factor he adds at the end – Marketing!

Then let me know what you think by leaving a comment OR by emailing us at publishing@newspaperdirect.com.

Gayle

Will you be attending this year’s Publishing Expo conference on March 1^st and 2^nd in London, England?

If you are, make sure to catch Nikolay Malyarov, NewspaperDirect’s Vice President of Publishing and Legal Affairs and the Irish Independent’s Patrick Lenehan, CTO – INM Ireland Digital, team up for The Big Digital Debate: Which Platform? And What Strategy? scheduled for Wednesday March 2^nd at 2:10 pm.

And what can you expect if you attend? Well, nothing short of a great debate on hot button issues like:

• Which of the many varied digital options will suite you and your company best?
• Is the iPad right for you? and…
• How to build a multi-faceted strategy for the varied digital platforms available to consumers?

Guaranteed to be riveting, Nikolay, Patrick and other panelists will attempt to provide those in attendance with clarity and perspective on issues those in the publishing world are currently facing, so don’t miss out!

And don’t forget to drop by and chat with Johanie Marcoux, Director, Publishing at NewspaperDirect at booth B25 to see all the latest releases of PressReader and SmartEdition apps on the newest tablets.

We hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Michael

Not too many months ago, it was almost impossible to find an article, news report or analysis that did not forecast doom and gloom for the publishing industry. Few argued that newspapers were in crisis, with falling circulation, repeated rounds of layoffs, fleeing advertisers and a chain of bad earning reports.

But then came the iPad…

And suddenly, the future was looking very rosy indeed. Suddenly, publishers were jumping on the iPad bandwagon building iPad applications that they believed would turn their future around.

Sadly, they forgot about the fundamentals of profitable publishing, such as “growing audited circulation”. Instead they created “innovative” applications that gave away their valuable content for free, and did nothing for their ABC numbers or their bottom line.

Do you feel a déjà vu moment coming on? Doesn’t this sound like the 1990s when publishers flocked to the Internet believing it would be their savior? And look how that turned out!

Mobile Wave or Tsunami?

No, the iPad is not the panacea for the publishing industry. It’s just one device – one small channel in a mobile market that is becoming more complex by the week with the explosion of new smartphones, tablets and eReaders landing in the hands of readers. The publishing industry is entering an era of “interesting times” and publishers cannot survive, let alone, thrive in it alone.

I invite all publishers to check out our new video about this new wave of technology, and the opportunities and risks it brings to publishers.   And then contact us at publishing@newspaperdirect.com to discuss how NewspaperDirect can help you prosper in these “interesting times” by increasing your:

• Revenues
• Readership
• Audited circulation
• Channel penetration
• Brand awareness
• Platform Support

At ZERO cost!

NewspaperDirect has been delivering newspapers and magazines to millions of readers the way they want to receive them since 1999 — in print, online, or on their mobile device, tablet or eReader — wherever they live, travel, work or play.

We invite all publishers to ride this new mobile wave with NewspaperDirect and embrace the future with confidence. Email us at publishing@newspaperdirect.com for more information.

Gayle

The arrival of the iPad in early April has without question, brought the publishing world into a bit of a tizzy.

Assuming the goals of increasing revenues, growing readership and meeting the evolving needs of readers the world over remain, the potential of the iPad leaves little doubt – it’s time to jump aboard the app train!

With publishers investing heavily in the development and delivery of content on the iPad and often failing to meet the needs and expectations of readers, why not simplify matters?  Why not allow NewspaperDirect, the world leader in digital publishing technology, handle your application needs – at absolutely no operational cost!

NewspaperDirect offers publishers two viable application options for the iPad:

PressReader, which provides users with access to PressDisplay.com’s 1,500+ titles, and ND’s privately branded SmartEdition apps that leverages PressReader technology.

Here’s a quick rundown of both:

So what’s the best option?  It’s simple – both!

To meet the growing demands of readers worldwide while increasing market share and revenues, making your publication available to readers through PressReader AND a privately branded SmartEdition app is a no brainer!

Keep in mind however that while the iPad is the hottest device on the market with seemingly limitless potential, it won’t be long before other devices captivate the minds and wallets of consumers – definitely a costly prospect for publishers attempting to develop and maintain apps in-house.

By alleviating the associated technical burdens, partnerships with NewspaperDirect allow publishers to focus and invest in what they do best – content!

Simply, our goal is to remain on the cutting edge so you don’t have to.  Whether it’s the development of an app for the next tablet or smartphone or compatibility with the latest eReader, NewspaperDirect will be there…as will your publication, to the delight of your readers.

For more information, please contact NewspaperDirect at digital@newspaperdirect.com.

Cheers,

-Michael

With the inclusion of PressDisplay.com to Deutsche Post DHL’s newly launched eKiosk, Germans using the digital service now have access to over 1,000 international newspapers from 90 countries in 46 languages.

With the added service, users can instantly access and read full digital replicas of their favorite international newspapers the moment they’re published – all from the eKiosk homepage!

While users will immediately benefit from the unparalleled selection of titles PressDisplay offers, this is yet another example of how NewspaperDirect can help publishers reach world readers through unique online distribution channels (see MSN PressDisplay for a similar example).

With publishers continually attempting to bolster both readership and revenues in less than favorable economic times, partnering with NewspaperDirect, the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization will allow them to do just that.

With little effort and at absolutely no operational cost, PressDisplay helps broaden readership by providing same day, full content digital editions to readers on the exact platform they wish to read them – on their PCs, Macs, laptops, iPhones, iPads, Blackberrys, tablet PCs, mobile devices and eReaders.  Add to this the fact they can access these titles through distribution channels such as the Deutsche Post eKiosk and it becomes clear why PressDisplay really is the easiest and most hassle free way to grow your business in today’s publishing world.

Isn’t time for your publication to get on board with PressDisplay as well?

For more information, please email NewspaperDirect at digital@newspaperdirect.com.

Cheers,

-Michael

With the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland causing mass air transit delays across Europe and the rest of the world, hundreds of thousands of stranded travellers missed receiving their daily printed newspaper from home.  For many of those travellers however, NewspaperDirect and PressDisplay.com, helped make this a complete non-issue.

Having caught word of NewspaperDirect’s unique offerings during the height of the travel crisis, Global TV BC visited NewspaperDirect discovering that regardless of where you live, travel or vacation, NewspaperDirect and PressDisplay make getting your favorite local newspaper a breeze – online, on your smartphone, on your tablet computer, eReader or in print.

The Global TV segment aired on Friday, April 23^rd – check it out below!

With a growing list of over 1,500 publications available, NewspaperDirect’s offerings let individuals enjoy same day full content publications from anywhere in the world making them perfect for travellers, expats, students, environmentally conscious readers or anyone wishing to get the news on their latest electronic device.

Learn more today!

Cheers,

-Michael

So, do you think we are on a roll?  You bet we are!

Yesterday, we announced support for Sony Readers and today it’s all about Kindle.  This morning, bright and early, NewspaperDirect announced that it is bringing the world’s largest online kiosk of full-content newspapers and magazines to the Amazon Kindle e-reading devices.  Yesterday Kindle only supported about 80 titles and even those where limited feeds from websites.    But overnight, readers’ choice of newspapers and magazines for the Kindle has grown by more than an order of magnitude!

To download your favorite titles directly from PressDisplay.com, simply connect your Kindle to your pc or laptop via USB cable, click the “Export to eReader” option (identified below) from the front page of any paper and follow the instructions.  It’s that easy!

Alternatively, you can install our PressReader application on your computer, download your favorite titles from PressDisplay.com and then transfer them to the Kindle via USB cable (although this approach does add an extra step).

Using PressReader, you can access complete editions of local, national and international newspapers from 93 countries in 44 languages on your kindle — often before they are available on newsstands — and read them from cover to cover, including:

• All original content (including images and advertisements) presented in a familiar newspaper layout.
• Intuitive navigation controls, along with thumbnails, and cross-linking within multi-page articles.

Check out this demo…

While some publishers align themselves with specific e-reading manufacturers, denying their customers the right to choose their own reading device (how crazy is that!), we like to take a different approach – one that gives readers what they want…

“Our strategy has always been to provide our customers with the best medium for reading their favorite publications,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect.  “Whether that be in print, online, on mobile devices or e-readers, we are committed to offering a reading experience second to none on whatever ‘screen’ our customers choose.  This not only gives our readers what they want, it gives our publishers what they need – an ‘iTunes for content’ storefront that guarantees them the best opportunities to grow their paid circulation revenues now and into the future.”

So…do you think we are done now?  Not a chance!  I’ll be back tomorrow with more good news from NewspaperDirect!

Gayle

//

On December 15-16 at the New Yorker Hotel in New York City the first eBook Summit hosted by Mediabistro attracted the “who’s who” in the publishing industry.  Over 350 publishers, authors, device manufacturers, distributors and service providers attended this unique event to take a closer look at the changing world of digital publishing. 

Igor Smirnoff, Director of Strategic Development at NewspaperDirect joined a panel of experts to discuss the  transition  between print and digital publishing and how storytelling in various media formats can uncover new sources of revenue.

The issues around reimaging of content for new devices, intelligent experimentation and understanding the new consumer were discussed, but the two topics that got the  most attention of the audience were:

•  The value of digital editions.  Here, Igor discussed how the advancement in digital technologies enable the delivery of new value not available in the printed world, opening unique opportunities for circulation and advertising revenues.
•  The free vs. paid debate.  With PressDisplay.com being the poster child for proving the Paid Content Model, Igor had lots to talk about around this topic.

The panel was held early on the first day and lead to steady traffic at the NewspaperDirect Booth where Igor elaborated on NewspaperDirect’s ePublishing solutions, and demonstrated  PressDisplay.com and PressReader in action on the latest new mobile devices and eReaders.

Next month, Igor’s off to CES where some very exciting announcements will be made.  Stay tuned for those!

Gayle