Filed under: Ways To "Save" Journalism? | Tags: computer, customize, Germany, Internet, Kindle, laptop, newspaper, Niiu, NYT, online, personalize, print, website
Two German entrepreneurs decided to combine the best of the Internet and print.
The fruit of their labors is a customizable newspaper–Niiu readers will simply go online to select from German and international papers and websites. Then, excerpts from categories of their choice will be printed on paper to be delivered.
The founders of Niiu geared their product toward college-age students who seem to enjoy reading their news online, and don’t have enough time to get through the entire standard newspaper.
This new innovation will launch in November, the Spiegel Online International and Forum4Editors report.
At first, I wasn’t “wowed” by this concept. The concept of personalization isn’t new to me by any means (I’m part of the Internet generation, after all). I thought since I get a good variety of news in my (print copy!) of the NYT every day, there isn’t much I would change.
But the ability to get news from international sources piqued my interest–German, Australian, Chinese, Iranian presses and so many others could sit with me and my coffee every morning! That’s a main selling point of the Internet–Instant variety. It takes mere seconds to hop from New York to Tokyo news sites, but you’re quite stuck in the New York state of mind with the Metro edition of the Times.
I feel very strongly about being able to hold my news in hand. I tend to read the paper with a breakfast dish placed on top and with coffee mug in hand. Errant drops of coffee and toast crumbs inevitably get all over–Not something I want to happen with my $300 Kindle or even more expensive laptop. And the librarians won’t allow me to sip and sit in the computer lab.
I’m certainly hoping that Niiu’s launch in Germany is a success and that the concept catches on in the U.S. sometime soon.
In Conclusion: This could prove very useful for those of us who are dragging our heels to “modernize” and read our newspapers online. The Internet seems a bit less neccessary.
Filed under: General Commentary | Tags: Internet, journalism, Journalism 24/7, Journalism Online, micropayments
How great would it be if Journalism Online’s model came to fruition? What if it was the portal to every reputable newspaper and magazine? There’d be no confusion over whether I’d subscribed here or gotten 15 article credits here: Just one centralized account, with one password, one username, one way to pay, and one place to keep track of it all.
Not only would I be doing my part to save journalism (and my future career), but I’d be able to atone for my past “sins” against the industry: Accepting their products for free. If it’s a cent or a nickel here or there, that’s petty cash that just about anyone can spare. Like I said before, if I can’t get it anywhere else, I’ll cough it up.
My mother was telling me that it’s a novelty for her generation to get anything for free–the Internet and its services are mindblowing to the 35+ group. Free music? Free web hosting? Free videos? Free shipping? Free pictures? Free news articles? Astounding. The under-30 generation expects it, but the 30+ group expects to be charged somewhere.
Professor Selvin brought up the good point that the Internet was created for free communications. That is true, yet newspapers and the like were designed to make a profit. Everybody wants their piece of the pie, and journalists are increasingly deciding they do too.
And why should anyone withold it?
