garciamedia

Jan. 26th Start putting a price on that content now

TAKEAWAY: Tomorrow is the day when Apple will unveil its much-hyped tablet.  The media industry execs are reserving front row seats for the event.  It may be the one decisive moment they have been waiting for as the Show Me The Money year takes off.

Is it U2 or The Times for Jobs?

This is the important question to ask today: which does Steve Jobs like and respect the most, music or the professional press?

The reason that question is pertinent is because with the unveiling of the Apple tablet Wednesday, the media business may follow in the same footsteps the music industry did when Jobs introduced the iTunes’ “pay per download” method for all of us to buy music.  Music industry experts claim that with this system they lost out on CD sales.  Of course, if I like one song in the album, why should I have to pay for 12?  The same patterns may follow with the Apple tablet, although all of this is mere speculation at this time.

For now, we are all eagerly anticipating the presentation of Apple’s newest magical gadget.  It is sort of as if Steve Jobs himself will lead us by that one hand we are not using to hold are beloved and ever-so-necessary iPhone, and suddenly we gaze into a Disney World type environment, with the Apple tablet swirling towards us at high speed, showing all that it can do——including providing much needed and greatly missed profits for the media companies that have debated for so long how to charge for content that has now gone for free on online editions, taking with them the newspapers and magazines/ paid subscribers.

You see, the Apple tablet may be the engine of the Show Me The Money year for publishers.

Apple will market the new tablet not just as a way to read news, books and other material, but also a way for companies to charge for all that content. The combination of the slick software and user friendly designs with the iTunes payment system, Apple could help create a way for media companies to alter the economics and consumer attitudes of the digital era.

Amen, and long overdue.

A great piece in The New York Times today describes what the media expectations are for the Apple tablet, and the challenges it may present.

The good news in that piece partly answers my earlier question: an unnamed source quoted by the Times has said that ““Steve believes in old media companies and wants them to do well. He believes democracy is hinged on a free press and that depends on there being a professional press.”

We are happy to hear that.

I believe that we in the publishing business finally will be able to close that awful chapter of self doubt, recriminations and hopelessness about the future and start a new chapter in which we can begin to concentrate on the logistics of preparing to charge for the content we produce.

One question remains, and if anyone knows Steve Jobs well, perhaps he can tell us: what does Steve prefer with his morning coffee, music or his newspaper?

Except with the Apple tablet, you may be able to have both.

Also of related interest:

-Apple rumors
http://www.edibleapple.com/jan-27-apple-event-rumored-to-include-tablet-introduction-and-iphone-sdk-40/

- On Eve of Apple Tablet Debut, Study Disses Kindle as Newspaper E-Readers
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004061870

- USA: Washington Post’s Narisetti: ‘Stay Tuned’ On Charging Decision
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-wapos-narisetti-stay-tuned-on-charging-decision-/

 

TheMarioBlog post #466

Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia on January 26, 2010