Entries tagged with “subscriptions” from Tools of Change for Publishing
800 Newspapers Coming to Iliad E-Reader
Peter Brantley
December 6, 2008
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iRex Technologies scores scores of newspapers for its new iLiad e-reader. From E-Reads:
Digitally delivered news is gaining momentum and as we turn the corner to 2009 it's gotten a rocket boost from the Dutch firm iRex Technologies, which announced it has made a deal with NewspaperDirect to deliver 800 newspapers on iRex's Digital Reader 1000 ...
The iRex/NewspaperDirect partnership will undoubtedly cause some headaches for Amazon.com, too. A visit to Amazon's Kindle newspaper web page shows 28 listings. The 800 titles to be carried on the iRex 1000, dubbed 'Kindle Killer' by some, will obviously dwarf Kindle's offering. Of course, many of them are foreign language papers like Le Figaro and Die Welt. But 800 is 800 and that's good news for the environment.
Open Question: Digital Ownership vs. Digital Subscriptions
Mac Slocum
October 1, 2008
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Two tips in Dear Author's recent post "10 Things Epublishers Should Do for Readers" caught my attention:
1. Eternal Bookshelf. An eternal bookshelf means that every purchase you have bought can be downloaded at any time. Most of the larger etailers have this feature but not all.
2. Mass Downloads. Along with the eternal bookshelf should be the ability to re-download all of your books. This is necessary in the case of a computer crash or some other computer related malfunction.
The focus on ownership is interesting, particularly since the concept of "owning" a digital file is inherently quirky. You can purchase and download books, music, TV shows, movies and software, but the tangible qualities of ownership don't apply in the digital realm. You don't categorize your digital movie collection on a DVD shelf and you don't thumb through a just-purchased ebook.
There's a weird dichotomy at play here. Many people (myself included) have come to terms with the ambiguous aspects of digital purchases, but a significant portion (again, myself included) gravitate toward digital ownership over digital subscriptions (e.g. the iTunes model vs. the Rhapsody model). The only clear difference between these models is access: purchased files are accessed from your local storage, subscriptions are accessed from a company's servers. But if your chosen material is available through your chosen device at your chosen time, does ownership really matter?
I'm interested in hearing how members of the TOC Community view the differences between ownership and subscriptions. Here's a few questions toward that end:
- Do you purchase digital content and store it on your own devices?
- Do you expect retailers to allow you to download additional copies of your purchased content?
- Do you subscribe to digital content?
- What would it take for you to switch from ownership to subscription?
Please share your thoughts in the comments area.
News Roundup: Customizable Magazine Service Launches, French E-Reader Includes Subscriptions, Library Tags Online-Offline Recommendations
Mac Slocum
September 19, 2008
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Maghound Customizable Magazine Service Launches
Maghound, a customizable magazine service from Time Inc., is now available. From Folio:
The membership pricing is tiered-- three titles for $4.95 a month, five titles for $7.95, seven titles for $9.95, and $1 per title for eight titles or more. Memberships can be entirely managed online, as well as by email and phone, from changing magazine title selections to updating personal information and placing magazine delivery on hold for a temporary period. (Continue reading)
France Telecom E-Reader Includes Subscriptions
France Telecom's Read & Go trial service bundles e-reader hardware with a subscription to mobile content. From BusinessWeek:
The trial of the prototype will wrap up this month, and by 2009, France Telecom aims to start distributing the Read & Go in conjunction with a subscription-based news service of the same name. For a monthly charge similar to a mobile service plan, customers will receive an over-the-air stream of aggregated content from a wide assortment of information sources. Alongside the articles will be ads that help defray the cost of the service. (Continue reading)
Library Uses Tags to Link Online-Offline Recommendations
LibraryTechNZ mentions an interesting engagement of a European library with its community, something that bookstores could also do:
The library at the Hague in the Netherlands has introduced a simple form of tagging in real life. They now have two returns drop-boxes. One is for all items, and the other is for amazing books. Staff take the 'amazing' books and put them in the 'amazing books' display for visitors to browse. But they also tag them 'amazing' in the Library's collection database.
Maghound Customizable Magazine Service Launches
Mac Slocum
September 17, 2008
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Maghound, a customizable magazine service from Time Inc., is now available. From Folio:
The membership pricing is tiered-- three titles for $4.95 a month, five titles for $7.95, seven titles for $9.95, and $1 per title for eight titles or more. Memberships can be entirely managed online, as well as by email and phone, from changing magazine title selections to updating personal information and placing magazine delivery on hold for a temporary period.
Maghound allows customers to mix and match magazines, but it does not integrate with current subscriptions. From the Maghound FAQ:
Maghound is a completely independent magazine service. Ordering through us does not affect any current subscriptions you may already have. So, if you order a magazine through us that you already subscribe to, you will receive a duplicate copy.
France Telecom E-Reader Includes Subscriptions
Mac Slocum
September 17, 2008
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France Telecom's Read & Go trial service bundles e-reader hardware with a subscription to mobile content. From BusinessWeek:
The trial of the prototype will wrap up this month, and by 2009, France Telecom aims to start distributing the Read & Go in conjunction with a subscription-based news service of the same name. For a monthly charge similar to a mobile service plan, customers will receive an over-the-air stream of aggregated content from a wide assortment of information sources. Alongside the articles will be ads that help defray the cost of the service.
Read & Go is being positioned as a "mobile newspaper kiosk." Amazon's Kindle offers similar access to newspapers, magazines and blogs, but subscription fees are charged on a title-by-title basis. The Kindle is not currently sold internationally and Read & Go will only be available in France, so direct competition between the devices/services won't occur in the near term.
Earlier this year, Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad partnered with iRex Technologies to sell digital newspaper subscriptions bundled with iRex's iLiad e-reader (pdf). iRex also manufactures the Read & Go device.
Time Inc. Prepping Mix and Match Magazine Service
Mac Slocum
July 15, 2008
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Time Inc.'s Maghound service sounds like the physical manifestation of an RSS reader. Launching in September, Maghound will allow customers to pick and swap magazine titles for a base monthly fee. From USA Today:
Customers will pay a monthly fee for home delivery of the publications they want. But unlike with subscriptions, which typically run for fixed terms, users can go online and swap one title for another whenever they want.
According to USA Today, baseline pricing will be set by the number of titles: around $5 per month for three titles, $8 for five, and $10 for seven. Some titles may incur higher charges.
In June, Folio reported that Maghound hopes to launch with 300 magazine titles.
Companies in the magazine space are showing a willingness to experiment. Barnes & Noble launched a digital/print magazine subscription service through BN.com in May, and MagCloud recently unveiled a print-on-demand system for magazine titles.
Q&A with Susan Danziger, CEO of DailyLit
Mac Slocum
June 18, 2008
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DailyLit is a digital service that delivers short, scheduled book installments to subscribers by email and RSS. The company offers free and pay-per-read titles in plain text, which makes them accessible through nearly all email clients, browsers or mobile devices. In the following Q&A, DailyLit CEO Susan Danziger discusses the company's philosophy, process, and upcoming services.
How many titles do you offer through DailyLit? How many do you hope to have by the end of 2008?
We currently have over 950 titles (450 or so which are available on a pay-per-read basis), and by the end of this year, we're targeting several thousand pay-per-read titles.
Releasing titles in plain text seems like a simple way to avoid the formatting needs and device restrictions that come with proprietary ebook formats. Was this your intention, or was plain text just an easier way to get started?
It was definitely our intention to allow the installments to come in on any device, which is an important part of how we designed the experience. We started with plain text because it was the easiest to implement, and we will be launching HTML shortly as well.
Do most DailyLit users read installments on mobile devices?
10%-20% of our readers currently read their installments on mobile devices, but as the reading quality on mobile devices improves (the iPhone is a great start), we're confident that more and more people will be reading their installments on these devices.
Can readers purchase print editions or ebooks through the site/service?
At this point, only DailyLit editions are available. We're starting to allow publishers and others to sponsor certain titles, which would allow a link to purchase other editions. With this sponsorship model, instead of readers paying for the title, sponsors would pay for them instead.
How will the sponsorship model work? Also, in regards to "other editions," are you only referring to printed editions, or does this include different ebook formats as well?
DailyLit readers would have access to free DailyLit versions of the books under the sponsorship model. Sponsors of titles would be able to include links that would lead to their sites (or other sites that sponsors indicate). "Other editions" could be printed editions or other digital formats.
How many DailyLit users receive updates via email? How many via RSS?
About 90% of our readers receive installments via e-mail; 10% via RSS.
How much time goes into prepping books for delivery? Is production handled in-house?
The production time depends on the format in which the book is delivered. If the book is delivered in PDF, the production time can be up to eight weeks. We prefer it if books are delivered in EPUB or XHTML, which greatly reduces the production time, not to mention cost. Production is handled in-house for certain titles, but for most titles we use an outside production house.
How are installments defined? Is it by word count? Average reading time?
Installments are usually around 1,000 words, which is under five minutes of reading. If a chapter is about to end, we'll adjust the length of the installments accordingly. Certain books, such as books of quotes, have much shorter installments. Under the "Manage Your Subscriptions" feature, folks can personally adjust the length of each installment (to 2 times or 4 times the length), so an avid reader can read more.
Are fiction titles the easiest to serialize, or does any chapter-based book work?
Fiction titles are probably easier to serialize since they're more straight forward. With non-fiction titles, we need to account for footnotes and other ancillary materials. That said, we're featuring titles from all different genres, from science fiction, such as books by Cory Doctorow, to such non-fiction best-sellers as Skinny Bitch. We also feature language books, such as titles from Berlitz, business books, as well as romance titles from Harlequin.
What types of books don't lend themselves to serialization?
Reference books that readers do not want to read cover to cover don't work in serialized form. Apart from that, since DailyLit is intended for those readers too busy to read (or who want to sneak in an extra book during the day), any other kind of book works well. After all, folks are avidly reading War and Peace, Moby Dick, The Art of War and Pride and Prejudice, and none of these books were originally intended to be serialized.
Who sets the pricing for titles?
Since we've structured this as a licensing deal with publishers, DailyLit sets the price.
Are you licensing a specific version of a book (i.e. "text-only" or a particular ebook format)?
We characterize it as "digital serialization rights" so it's a combination of serialization (typically understood as a license) and a digital rendition of the book. Depending on rights available for the title, we might license text only or with illustrations/photographs.
How have publishers responded to DailyLit?
We've had a great response from publishers. On the whole, they've been really excited about this new format, which combines marketing and potential incremental revenue. We've also been developing innovative technology -- several initiatives will be rolled out shortly -- which will help the publishers market their titles and expand their reader base.
What sorts of tools will you be releasing?
One such tool is public subscriptions, which will allow publishers, authors or third parties to serialize a book publicly on their site. Each day on that site, folks will be able to view a new installment of a book. This is a way to build community on their site and would be an alternative to giving away free PDFs of books. We'll also offer readers the opportunity to receive a personal e-mail or RSS subscription to that title if they don't want to return to the site each day, but for that they [consumers] would need to pay. As such, it's a neat viral marketing tool as well as having potential for incremental revenue.
Do you use digital rights management (DRM) on titles?
We put the reader's experience first, which means that there are no attachments or files that need to be opened with a special device or software. With respect to illustrations or photographs, we are able to track where they go and, in the event of a hot link, we can disable use of an illustration associated with a particular subscription.
Have you run into any piracy issues? Is this a concern?
We haven't run into any piracy issues. Since books are divided into hundreds of installments, there is less concern that individual installments are copied or forwarded. In fact, any installments forwarded by readers have been viewed by publishers and authors as a way to virally market their titles.
In addition to books, you feature Wikipedia tours, language lessons and SAT prep. Are other non-book projects in the works? Where do you see DailyLit expanding?
We're in the process of adding newly created titles for DailyLit, including allowing authors and publishers to create content that work well in the serialized format. We're also developing lots of interesting technology to help market books and expand the current reach to additional readers. For instance, we recently launched via Twitter a group read or virtual book club so that folks can read books according to the same schedule. Folks can sign up now to participate.
News Roundup: Future E-Paper Devices, Potential in Aggregated Ebooks, PBS Web Videos Include Ads
Mac Slocum
June 13, 2008
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Future Electronic Paper Display Devices
Nice overview of electronic paper display (EPD) technologies at Computerworld:
[Fujitsu's] Fabric PC looks like a soft trifolded portfolio. Opened, it reveals a flat keyboard on one panel and a display on the other -- a display that wraps under the keyboard. Unfold the keyboard as well and the entire inner surface of the device is an EPD screen as big as a desktop display. (Continue reading)
Aggregated Ebook Service Suits Research Publisher
An understanding of audience goals can prove fruitful in digital publishing, according to Cynthia Cleto, global manager for e-books and e-product management at research publisher Springer. From a Q&A at TechNewsWorld:
... our readers are working at a desk somewhere and they want specific information at their fingertips in a hurry because of whatever they are working on. Relaxation is not the driver in this market. (Continue reading)
PBS Online Videos Include Advertising
PBS is releasing shows on the video site Hulu, but incorporating advertising with a revenue sharing plan. The New York Times Bits blog discusses the move with Andrew Russell, senior vice president of PBS Ventures:
PBS has moved online slowly, and right now it makes only a small fraction of its content available over the Internet. One reason is the complexity of the rights to its programs. Nova, for example, is produced by WGBH in Boston, which acquires individual episodes from various production companies. Only in some cases does PBS actually have the rights to distribute shows online.
Mr. Russell said that by exploring digital distribution with the programs that the network does have rights to, it hopes to build the case to show that producers should let it distribute their shows online. This means offering them a good share of the advertising revenue or download fees. The online deals also show corporate and foundation sponsors that the programs are reaching a wider audience.
Aggregated Ebook Service Suits Research Publisher
Mac Slocum
June 9, 2008
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An understanding of audience goals can prove fruitful in digital publishing, according to Cynthia Cleto, global manager for e-books and e-product management at research publisher Springer. From a Q&A at TechNewsWorld:
... our readers are working at a desk somewhere and they want specific information at their fingertips in a hurry because of whatever they are working on. Relaxation is not the driver in this market.
Cleto says audience needs led to Springer's "journalized" ebook collections:
They [academic readers/researchers] want highly specific information that may only be covered in a chapter or two. By "journalizing" each chapter, that is by making and presenting each chapter like a journal article, we make it easier and faster to search and download, and cheaper to buy since you can buy one or more chapters or the whole book. Either way, you get what you want, in a way you can best use it, faster and cheaper.
Based on Springer's ebook experience -- and O'Reilly's, via Safari -- the aggregated model is certainly worth exploring if a publisher's audience is focused on research, development and other action-oriented goals.
An Argument Against "Freemium" Content
Mac Slocum
May 13, 2008
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The "pay to remove ads" model -- also known as "freemium" -- is inherently flawed, argues Andrew Parker:
Why? Because the people in your audience with disposable income who are willing to pay for web services are the same ones that will self-select out of your audience for your ads. So, all that remains in your audience are people that are too cheap to opt out. That doesn't sound like the audience that Disney (DIS), Coca Cola (CKE), or even your average direct response advertiser wants to reach.
Britannica Opens Up with Free Subscriptions
Mac Slocum
April 30, 2008
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Bloggers, journalists and other Web content creators can apply for free subscriptions to Britannica Online, the Web arm of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Taking a note from the Wall Street Journal, Britannica.com will also allow direct access ("deep-linking") to specific entries. The move is explained in a Britannica.com press release:
Access to much of the site, including full-text entries from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, normally requires a paid subscription. There’s an exception to that rule, however: When a Web site links to a Britannica article Web surfers who click on that link get the article in its entirety.
The press release also contains a curious quote from Britannica president Jorge Cauz:
The level of professionalism among Web publishers has really improved, and we want to recognize that by giving access to the people who are shaping the conversations about the issues of the day. Britannica belongs in the middle of those conversations. [Emphasis added.]
Britannica's decision is in line with the industry's broader move away from Web subscriptions, so how does Web publisher professionalism factor in?
(Via AppScout)
Science Publisher Offers Digital Subscription to Books
Mac Slocum
April 15, 2008
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Life-sciences publisher CABI is making its front-file titles (2005-2008) available through an annual digital subscription. The PDF-based collection is launching with 140 titles and CABI expects this to increase to 200 by the end of the year.
Digital subscription services have already been well received in the tech and business industries: Safari Books Online is O'Reilly's third-largest reseller. (Disclosure: TOC is a division within O'Reilly Media.)
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