The iPad - newspaper saviour? Kindle killer? A device too far? It's wait and see time.
Before the launch, there was a huge focus on what the iPad could do for the beleaguered newspaper industry. The Telegraph—using the widely assumed iTablet moniker—carried a piece about five ways the new device could change our lives. Like may others, it carried a glorious message of hope: "The day's papers could be wirelessly delivered to the iTablet, complete with live discussion forums or social network integration to debate the key topics of the days, while embedded video and audio would bring stories to life." Nice. US title Sports Illustrated, erm, illustrates this excellently:
The San Francisco launch, however, was telling. Mediaweek talks about how the spotlight skipped newspapers and shone brightly on e-Books. Jobs took a clear swipe at the Kindle. Perhaps that's because the publishers need to help themselves before the iPad in shining armour comes to the rescue. Google's chief economist sums this up nicely in Advertising Age: "Devices like Apple's iPad may help newspapers and traditional publishers, but only significant evolution will save them."
Too true. As consumers both sides of the pond continue to desert 'dead wood' newspapers, something needs to change. News International's widely discussed fondness of paywalls is one direction. Socially orientated, interactive, engaging, mobile delivery is another. I know which one I would rather see happen. Plus truly engaged readers surely = an advertisers dream.
It seems to me that, pending consumer take up, the iPad has set the scene for a media revolution. Question is, are we ready? And, more to the point, are the publishers?
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