Want another reason why the newspaper industry is going down the tubes? How about this: the owner of the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times wants to create an Android-powered tablet for its subscribers. The device, reportedly to be manufactured by Samsung, is expected to miss a mid-August deadline.
The device, an idea of Tribune Co. CEO and DirecTV founder Eddy Hartenstein, would either be offered free or at a low subsidized cost to newspaper subscribers. The tablets would offer apps for your hometown newspaper, according to sources who spoke with CNN.
The project was supposed to begin tests in Chicago and Southern California in mid-August, but delays have already set in. In a telling comment, one insider said: “If it turns out to be a failure, it will be a fantastically interesting failure.” Another source commented: “I would be shocked if it was successful.”
This comes as the Tribune Co. cuts staff, trims facilities and remains in bankruptcy court.
The Tribune Co. already has an iPad app, a program for Windows tablets and phones, as well as the Android-based Samsung Tab. In Philadelphia, discounted Android tablets that display the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News are expected to enter limited trials in September.
Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.
9 responses to “Newspaper Eyes Creating Subsidized Samsung Tablet”
Wow, I’d hardly call that going down the tubes, I’d call it embracing technology and getting up with the times…
Agree, but someone has to find a way to make money from these ventures. Ubiquitous ads aren’t the way because if the irritation factor. The print media has to make the plunge eventually and the better they are at bringing real news to people the more likely they will make money. So far all I see are the same stories over and over. This means that they have to have real reporters out there finding out what’s happening. No more TV style talking heads and opinion molders. Boots on the ground like Al Jazeera.
tinyurl.com/2df4ccp
tinyurl.com/2df4ccp
tinyurl.com/2df4ccp
tinyurl.com/2df4ccp
vipforshopper.com