After adding numerous enhancements aimed at optimizing its technology for the latest high-definition tablets, NewspaperDirect (ND) is witnessing an unprecedented demand from magazine publishers for its ePublishing solutions.

Publishers of all sizes and types of content worldwide are recognizing that ND’s years of investment in developing innovative technology, faster processing capabilities, and a superior user interface for newspapers is exactly what they need in order to offer a more compelling digital experience to their readers.  Today, within the 2,700+ publications ND has on its global distribution network, more than 250 of them are magazines.

Which is why ND is sponsoring FIPP’s Worldwide Media Marketplace event being held in London, England starting May 29, 2012.

If you’re interested in learning more about our multi-channel ePublishing solutions, please set up an appointment with Nikolay Malyrov, VP, Publishing and Legal Affairs or Johanie Marcoux, Director, Publishing at ND, drop by the Tuesday luncheon session sponsored by ND where Nikolay will be making opening remarks, or come by and chat with us at stand 40. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

We’re pleased to announce that Igor Smirnoff, NewspaperDirect’s Vice President, Digital, is a featured panelist at this year’s BlackBerry World, the largest annual gathering for the BlackBerry ecosystem. Igor will outline the business opportunities that RIM’s current and future products, including the upcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphone, represent for publishers.

Igor is participating in a media panel at BlackBerry World 2012: “Quality Profitable Opportunities for Publishing Partners on BlackBerry.” The panel discussions will cover several areas, including: development options, how to work with publishers, and providing a compelling user experience. NewspaperDirect has long been a supporter of the BlackBerry platform, and recently launched an updated version of its flagship news app for mobile devices, PressReader for BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0.

Event/panel details:

• BlackBerry World 2012
• Media panel: Quality Profitable Opportunities for Publishing Partners on BlackBerry
• Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 9:00 a.m.
• Tampa Room

Igor has been with NewspaperDirect since 2003 and is a recognized expert in the formulation of effective cross-platform and multichannel strategies for leading publishers around the world and focuses on the development of the company’s newspaper and magazine publisher network, partnerships with mobile and tablet device manufacturers, as well as with major telecom operators and software companies. Today, working closely with 2,200 publishers in 96 countries, as well as many market partners, he is actively involved with the development of an industrywide strategy for migration of publishers’ printed business into the digital realm.

We’re very pleased to announce that Malaysia’s largest tabloid, The Star, has officially launched its ePaper solution powered by NewspaperDirect’s SmartEdition Technology. The launch  kicks off an exciting 3 days for NewspaperDirect at this year’s WAN-IFRA Publish Asia Conference in Bali, Indonesia, providing Star readers with instant access to their favorite publication across a wide range of platforms and devices.

Expanding the distribution of Malaysia’s favorite English newspaper to reach readers across a complete range of channels and devices is the surest way to engage with tomorrow’s readers and provide today’s subscribers with a wide range of options, said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “The Star is setting a benchmark to which other publishers should aspire.

The new, digital replica editions deliver 100 percent of the content from the printed publication, including the Main Paper, StarBiz, Star2, and Star Metro. The Star ePaper gives subscribers two new ways to read the paper: online via the Web or downloaded to a PC, smartphone (iPhone and Android), or tablet (iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab). Advanced digital features of the Star ePaper include:

•     Instant switching between Replica/Page View and Article View
•     Engaging, cover-to-cover reading by simply swiping from page to page
•     Share stories on Facebook and Twitter or via e-mail
•     A “Listen” option to hear articles read aloud
•     Convenient zooming of text and enlargement of articles and photos

Smartphones and tablets provide a fantastic growth opportunity for The Star by enabling us to give our readers the content they want, the way they want it, where they want it, said Wong Siah Ping, chief operating officer, digital business. We chose NewspaperDirect as our partner as they have the technology and worldwide distribution channels to reach our existing and new mobile subscribers, wherever they are.

Cheers,

Michael

Will you be attending Publishing Expo UK this week in London?

If you are, don’t miss NewspaperDirect’s VP, Publishing and Legal Affairs, Nikolay Malyarov, alongside other key players from the media, advertising and marketing sectors, provide pointers to publishers wondering whether to “go native” or jump on the HTML5 bandwagon.

Featured in the Three Way Tag: Apps vs. E-Books vs. HTML5 panel discussion moderated by Graham Duffill, managing director of The Digital Publishing Company, Nikolay and the other panelists will discuss the challenge publishers face as they develop and manage distribution of digital newspapers, magazines and books across several mobile platforms. The panelists will examine the choices publishers face as they consider developing either ‘native’ apps or HTML5-based Web apps, and will offer opinions on which is the best long-term strategy for different types of publishers.

Nikolay will offer his views on the pros and cons of both native apps and HTML5-based approaches, and assess their relative merits in the contexts of both user experience and technology maturity.

Don’t miss out on the intriguing debate. You can take in the discussion on Tuesday February, 28, 2012 at 12:20pm,.

Cheers,

Michael

With Europe’s largest mobile expo just a few short days away, the Digital team at NewspaperDirect is pumped and ready to attend Mobile World Congress 2012 held this year in Barcelona, Spain from February 27^th to March 1^st.

The event is especially exciting this go around as we’ll have the opportunity to showcase both current and future developments of PressReader and PressDisplay across our range of platforms at the pavilions, booths and theatres of several of our key technology partners including Motorola, LG, Samsung and RIM!

Just as in previous years, MWC 2012 will look to embrace and celebrate the current state of mobile while taking captivating looks into the future – a fact not lost on eager event attendees.  Last year, MWC attracted over 60,000 individuals from 200 countries to peruse, ogle and admire the latest and greatest technological offerings from over 1,400 companies – talk about a big crowd!  Among them were 2,900 members of the press representing over 1,500 media groups.

This year, we’re delighted to be right in the thick of things. If having access to over 2,000 newspapers from 95 countries on your favorite tablet or smartphone is your thing, you won’t want to miss us! We’d love to meet, chat and provide you with the opportunity to walk away with some really cool swag! Here’s where and when you’ll be able to find us:

Where: Motorola Pavilion – Partner’s Booth

When: Monday February 27^th 15:30 – 19:00 & Tuesday February 28^th 8:30 – 12:15

Each day, Motorola will be running various contests and events. Part of the daily prize packs will include annual access to PressReader & PressDisplay.com!  Get ready to shoot some hoops for your chance to win!

Where: BlackBerry Showcase Theatre (7B42 Hall 7)

When: Tuesday February 28^th at 16:25

Igor Smirnoff, NewspaperDirect’s VP, Digital will take centre stage for a short overview entitled Beyond the Printed Newspaper covering NewspaperDirect and its own mobile offerings, PressReader and PressDisplay. The digital team will be hanging out with the folks from RIM until closing on the 28^th to address any questions you may have. Don’t miss out on your chance for free PressReader for PlayBook access before and after Igor’s overview!

Where: LG and Samsung Pavilions

When: Duration of event

LG and Samsung will be running continuous demos of PressReader on their tablet and smartphone devices in the demo areas at each of their respective pavilions.  If PressReader catches your eye, make sure to ask either an LG or Samsung representative about us – they’ll be happy to point to a member of the NewspaperDirect team floating close by.

We can’t wait to catch up with our partners at the event and we definitely can’t wait to have a chat with event attendees!  Make sure to follow us on Twitter for the duration of MWC using hashtags #MWC12, #PressReader and #PressDisplay.

See you there!

In a move that emphasizes convenience and choice for readers of Spain’s top newspapers and periodicals, the biggest ever editorial alliance of Spanish publishers have joined forces to present all their newspapers and magazines under one digital roof. Kiosko y más (www.kioskoymas.com), which was recently launched in Madrid, unites Vocento, Prisa, Godó, Zeta, Axel Springer, RBA and other groups — publishers of some of Spain’s most popular newspapers and magazines — and presents them in a single online destination that is accessible on a wide range of desktop and mobile devices.

30+ newspapers and 60+ magazines are available for immediate delivery in the Kiosko y más digital newsstand, all presented in their original, as-printed format. Native apps for both Apple iOS and Google Android are also offered, enabling any of the publications to be read on these industry-leading smartphones and tablets. Support for additional mobile operating systems and devices is coming soon.

“NewspaperDirect is an outstanding partner for us on this project. They have the technology, experience, proven track record and aggregated, multi-platform capability that allows us to give our users a rich, pleasurable reading experience that truly delights,” said Juan Luis Moreno, chief of digital strategy at Vocento. “The NewspaperDirect Team does all the heavy lifting, managing the integration and all technical aspects of Kiosko y más and the mobile applications. This allows us to focus on delivering unique, high-quality content to our readers around the world.”

“Kiosko y más represents an important step for the news publishing industry. By forming alliances of this nature, publishers can offer readers the content they love, packaged in a rewarding experience that can be delivered across all platforms and devices,” said Alexander Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “We applaud this move, which is truly visionary and a benchmark model for other countries around the world.”

To read the entire press release, please click here.

Cheers,

Michael

Few would argue that most newspaper publishers today live in Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) about their future in this volatile digital world. Watching circulations steadily decline, advertising revenues dwindle and bottom lines collapse, many publishers have gone from FUD, straight into outright panic.

But not all…

Journal of Commerce, Western Canada’s Construction Newspaper, and a publishing partner of NewspaperDirect, is meeting the challenges and opportunities of this digital/mobile revolution head on.

Powered by NewspaperDirect’s SmartEdition technology, Journal of Commerce Digital is now available online or off in full-content digital replica format, to its subscribers wherever they choose to live, travel, work or play.

By providing its publication to readers exactly where and how they wish to read it, the Journal is a benchmark of success that other publishers should follow. And so it gives us great pleasure to congratulate them on not just surviving, but thriving in these “interesting times”.

June 9, 2011 marked Journal of Commerce’s 100th year in publishing – astounding!

To celebrate this major milestone, the Journal released a complimentary commemorative Special Edition, available through Journal of Commerce Digital, looking back at the last 100 years of the publication through photography, stories and much more.  You really must take at look at it!

Since its inception in 1911, Journal of Commerce has provided everything from interesting and informative reporting to one-stop easy access to tender listings and building reports,” says John Richardson, Director of Operations, Western Canada, Reed Construction Data. “Covering public and private project leads, (Non-residential, Industrial, Commercial, Institutional, Engineering, Multi-family), Journal of Commerce is the trusted go-to source for reliable industry information in the construction industry.

VIDEO: 100 years of the Journal of Commerce

As the Journal commemorates the past and plans all the right moves for its future, we are proud to partner with them in their journey towards another 100 years of publishing prowess.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Journal of Commerce!

With the Distripress Executive Committee elections set to be held this autumn season, we’re very pleased to announce that NewspaperDirect’s own Nikolay Malyarov, Vice President, Publishing and Legal Affairs, is in the running for an ancillary services committee position.

Distripress is a non-political and non-profit making association of companies, non-profit organizations and individuals of repute, engaged in the national and international circulation of publications which include newspapers, magazines, periodicals and paperback books.

If elected, Nikolay will be able to utilize the skills and experiences he has acquired over his years of service with NewspaperDirect in addition to his sound understanding of a publishing industry that has and continues to evolve.

As VP of Publishing and Legal Affairs at NewspaperDirect, I have been helping hundreds of publishers and distributors over the past 8 years expand their market reach and increase revenues, by successfully transitioning their businesses from pure print to a combination of print and digital.

Today, with the proliferation of new reading devices and tablets landing in the hands of subscribers, Distripress members are facing even more exciting opportunities and challenges that require innovative solutions – technology and business solutions that I am actively involved in on a day-to-day basis.

I am passionate about this industry and believe I have the knowledge, experience and commitment to help members capitalize on this new era in digital publishing and embrace the future with confidence.

The election will take place between the 19th and 26th of September 2011 and the election results will be announced at the Distripress Congress in Barcelona on Monday 17th October.

Please support Nikolay in his bid!

Cheers,

Michael

There is an old proverb that says, “He who laughs last, laughs longest.” And I guess one could say that today, with the announcement of Apple’s reversal on their in-app subscription rules, the publishing community got the last laugh.   But they’re not laughing all the way to the bank over it.

Since Apple’s February decree, publishers around the world have scrambled to update their existing apps and develop new apps that would conform to iTunes rule 11.13:

“Apps can read or play approved content (magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video) that is sold outside of the app, for which Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues, provided that the same content is also offered in the app using IAP at the same price or less than it is offered outside the app. This applies to both purchased content and subscriptions.”

This needless re-development cost publishers and companies like NewspaperDirect valuable time and money that should have been invested in new products, services and bundles for subscribers.

According to the new rules, publishers can now offer digital subscriptions and bundled services outside of the App Store without having to worry about offering the same deal through Apple.  Now that’s good news!

Unfortunately Apple will not allow apps to link to outside offers (websites, landing pages, e-stores) from within the app. And it will also not budge on publishers’ access to subscriber data for those purchases done within the App Store.

So it’s still far from a perfect world, but at least it removes the handtaxcuffs from publishers, returning to them some freedom to market and sell their applications in ways that meet the ever changing needs of their readers (except inside their own app).

Why Apple chose to make this change now is anyone’s guess (they’re not talking), but certainly it would seem that a combination of publisher pressure, competitive devices (Android, Playbook, Web OS, Win7) and new technologies (HTML 5) were factors in that decision. And although we applaud Apple for doing the right thing, it is a shame that the company did not consult with publishers prior to imposing such an unwarranted tax in the first place.

If publishers have any questions regarding these latest developments, please contact us at publishing@newspaperdirect.com

Gayle

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