Rupert Murdoch's News Corp will unveil what they described as an “innovative subscription model” next month. During the Q3 earnings call yesterday it was also announced that the group made revenues of $8.8 billion. Murdoch said the the group has been speaking with a broad base of potential partners.
One caller asked if there would be charges for charge for entertainment as well as news (clearly bearing in mind the imminent launch of the Times' paid-for-content model) , the response was affirmative.
Murdoch went on, “Everybody’s been negotiating with Apple about television shows, films - we do VOD, everything’s on there.”
So, will the new offer be be a competitor to iTunes Store, utilising News Corp's Hulu TV? We'll have to wait and see - watch this space.
Murdoch's approach to building a broad, cross-media empire is starting to make sense. As I've noted in earlier posts the time ripe to re-architect his various interests to take advantage of the synergies it offers.
We know that the Times websites will cost £1 a day, £2 a week or free with a print subscription from June, thoug details on the latter bundle are hard to come by.
Perhaps, as I've always maintained, Times Online could charge subs along with a BSkyB satellite TV subscription . . . Why stop there? Other News Corp offerings - say, movie tickets or previews - are just as likely in my view.
In a universe where content is king, and where News Corp controls a large proportion of the means of its production, it wouldn't suprise me if we are seeing the makings of the largest cross-border integrated paid-for-content model yet.
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
5 May 2010
4 May 2010
The Times, they are a' changing . . .
News International staff have been told to expect a 90% fall in traffic once the Times paywall is introduced in June this year. No suprises there.
The success metrics staff have been set include how successfully they have maximised advertising revenues, commercial revenues and subscription revenues, as well as the extent to which the paywall helps stem the fall in newspaper sales. It was always going to be about money. I wish them luck, it's a bold experiment.
My gut feeling is that it won't work - the Times+ model costs a fortune and isn't all that compelling a reason to fork out for access to the Times websites. As a consumer I want a high degree of relevance when I'm looking for content - I don't care about free tickets to Glyndebourne. This is, as I've said before in this blog, about retention and cross-selling to maintain revenues within the Murdoch empire.
Apple will shift its iTunes strategy by entering the cloud-based music streaming market, after it shuts down Lala, the music streaming service it acquired last year. It will face stiff competion from Spotify and We7. Spotify's recent upgrade allows users to import their music libraries into Spotify, putting the platform in direct competition with iTunes.
The digital downloads market in the USA and Japan is flatlining, with European markets set to follow a similar curve, the music industry desperate to find new ways of capturing audiences and revenues.
The success metrics staff have been set include how successfully they have maximised advertising revenues, commercial revenues and subscription revenues, as well as the extent to which the paywall helps stem the fall in newspaper sales. It was always going to be about money. I wish them luck, it's a bold experiment.
My gut feeling is that it won't work - the Times+ model costs a fortune and isn't all that compelling a reason to fork out for access to the Times websites. As a consumer I want a high degree of relevance when I'm looking for content - I don't care about free tickets to Glyndebourne. This is, as I've said before in this blog, about retention and cross-selling to maintain revenues within the Murdoch empire.
Apple will shift its iTunes strategy by entering the cloud-based music streaming market, after it shuts down Lala, the music streaming service it acquired last year. It will face stiff competion from Spotify and We7. Spotify's recent upgrade allows users to import their music libraries into Spotify, putting the platform in direct competition with iTunes.
The digital downloads market in the USA and Japan is flatlining, with European markets set to follow a similar curve, the music industry desperate to find new ways of capturing audiences and revenues.
16 Apr 2010
Digital developments . . . .
Addressable advertising has hit the news again. The launch of BSkyB’s AdSmart service around their on-demand service Sky Player will provide the blueprint for integration on its satellite platform next year. It marks the debut of a mass-market targeted substitutional advertising (TSA) model on linear TV in the UK. It's aim? To deliver more relevant messages to TV viewers plus the accountability and personalisation common to digital media, enabling TV ads being tailored to specific households, even individuals.
That said, addressable TV advertising will take time to build up to a meaningful critical mass. It certainly has the potential to bring new revenues into TV, an industry desperate to revive its ailing fortunes. As ever, media agencies will need to build up their understanding of the technology . . . and frankly with many still struggling to grasp digital, it may take some time! TV measurement needs to shift from outputs to outcomes in orer to match the sophisticated targeting and accountability of online - there is a long way to go yet.
Spotify is in the news again with reports that Lady GaGa earned a paltry $167 from Spotify's million plus streams of her hit Poker Face. Whoops! Below is a graphical representation of what music creatives earn from the various distribution methods (click image to see it larger).
Google’s UK earnings have reached yet another record high of $842 million between January and March 2010. This equates to a nine percent rise from the last Quarter of 2009 and 15 percent from the same period a year ago. Google execs were delighted with this on the recent analyst's call.
The Hut Group, which rescued Zavvi.co.uk last year, is making a £14 million ($21.7 million) investment for acquisition prior to a float on the stock market. This is the first major digital flotation we've seen in the UK for many years and indicates that there is life in digital yet . . . . it's not all about the ads or paywalls.
The Hut powers the online retailing of physical goods on a white-label basis for diverse clients including WH Smith, Tesco.com, Lovefilm and Argos and also operates its own fulfillment service and own-brand digital retailer, theHut.com.
An interesting example of how social media can create awareness and foster green themed developments came by recently. Myoo is a community for environmental and social innovation and brngs to the fore creative solutions to environmental challenges. It's a far cry from making chairs out of old coke bottles!
Apple are delaying the launch of the iPad outside the USA . . . . where they have, incidentally experienced massive problems with meeting demand. In the meantime here in the UK, digital publishers have been falling over themselves to show off apps designed for the iPad. Bizarrely, the Daily Express are in the vanguard!
That's all for now, more later. But before I go, if you want a free subscription to Marketing Week delivered to your door sign up here - don't say I don't give you anything!
That said, addressable TV advertising will take time to build up to a meaningful critical mass. It certainly has the potential to bring new revenues into TV, an industry desperate to revive its ailing fortunes. As ever, media agencies will need to build up their understanding of the technology . . . and frankly with many still struggling to grasp digital, it may take some time! TV measurement needs to shift from outputs to outcomes in orer to match the sophisticated targeting and accountability of online - there is a long way to go yet.
Spotify is in the news again with reports that Lady GaGa earned a paltry $167 from Spotify's million plus streams of her hit Poker Face. Whoops! Below is a graphical representation of what music creatives earn from the various distribution methods (click image to see it larger).
The Hut Group, which rescued Zavvi.co.uk last year, is making a £14 million ($21.7 million) investment for acquisition prior to a float on the stock market. This is the first major digital flotation we've seen in the UK for many years and indicates that there is life in digital yet . . . . it's not all about the ads or paywalls.
The Hut powers the online retailing of physical goods on a white-label basis for diverse clients including WH Smith, Tesco.com, Lovefilm and Argos and also operates its own fulfillment service and own-brand digital retailer, theHut.com.
An interesting example of how social media can create awareness and foster green themed developments came by recently. Myoo is a community for environmental and social innovation and brngs to the fore creative solutions to environmental challenges. It's a far cry from making chairs out of old coke bottles!
Apple are delaying the launch of the iPad outside the USA . . . . where they have, incidentally experienced massive problems with meeting demand. In the meantime here in the UK, digital publishers have been falling over themselves to show off apps designed for the iPad. Bizarrely, the Daily Express are in the vanguard!
That's all for now, more later. But before I go, if you want a free subscription to Marketing Week delivered to your door sign up here - don't say I don't give you anything!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)