Apple CEO Steve Jobs. (Photo: Asa Mathat | All Things Digital)
EARLIER THIS MONTH at the D8 Conference near Los Angeles, Apple CEO Steve Jobs discussed the impact of his company’s latest gadget: the vaunted iPad.
In an interview, Jobs was asked whether this new technology – which, among other things, provides print-news organizations with a tool to offer digital content in a more engaging and interactive fashion than through conventional websites – will “save journalism.”
“One of my beliefs very strongly is that any democracy depends on a free healthy press,” Jobs said (a cliche, sure, but always nice to have the notion reinforced). “News gathering and editorial organizations are really important.”
What he said next came as a bit of a surprise to me, though, given how inextricably linked Apple is to the new-media world:
“I don’t want to see us descend into a nation of bloggers, myself. I think we need editorial more than ever right now.”
This triggered an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience, which presumably included more than a few traditional journos (the likely source of most of that clapping).
But then it probably behooves Jobs to side with mainstream news organizations here. His company stands to make a fair bit of dough by partnering with them on developing apps for the iPad, among other pursuits.
“Anything that we can do to help the New York Times and the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal and other newsgathering organizations find new ways of expression, so that they can afford to get paid, so they can afford to keep their newsgathering and editorial operations intact – I’m all for,” the Apple CEO said.
“What we have to do is figure out a way to get people to start paying for this hard-earned content. And so this provides us a potential opportunity to provide them even more value than just a web page and to start to charge a little bit for that.
“I’m trying to get these folks to take more aggressive postures than they charge for print because they don’t have the expenses of printing, they don’t have the expenses of delivery – and to charge a reasonable price and go for volume,” he added. ”Because I think people are willing to pay for content.”
Nice one Steve-o. I agree. And I would kill to see Jobs debate new-media guru Clay Shirky — Mr. “Information Wants to be Free” — on the whole pay-for-content thing, and on the future of the news business in general in the Internet age.
It would be an entertaining match-up. As I’ve said before in this space, my money’s on the Apple chief.
Have to disagree with you on this one Mr Starr. I can see why you would would agree with the above view, it’s where you bread is buttered after all. Nothing wrong with that.
I don’t think people are willing to pay for content, and really, they will find a way around it. It’s not a realistic model. Don’t get me wrong, I think journalists (even citizen journalists) deserve to be paid, I just figure it will come from advertising or a different business model.
Jobs speaks with two tongues. Next month he’ll be in a room full of bloggers, singing their praises.
Oh yeah, and he wants to ‘give us freedom from pornography’ also. Don’t get me started on this guy.
Blame Canada
Have to disagree with you on this one Mr Starr. I can see why you would would agree with the above view, it’s where you bread is buttered after all. Nothing wrong with that.
I don’t think people are willing to pay for content, and really, they will find a way around it. It’s not a realistic model. Don’t get me wrong, I think journalists (even citizen journalists) deserve to be paid, I just figure it will come from advertising or a different business model.
Jobs speaks with two tongues. Next month he’ll be in a room full of bloggers, singing their praises.
Oh yeah, and he wants to ‘give us freedom from pornography’ also. Don’t get me started on this guy.
Ryan Starr
Fair enough. And you’re totally right — my view is skewed given my profession. Still, I do think the iPad offers a great way for these organizations to justify charging for content. Wouldn’t you pay to get SI (or whatever your mag of choice is) in this format: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyXvLnxyXk
Ryan Starr
Fair enough. And you’re totally right — my view is skewed given my profession. Still, I do think the iPad offers a great way for these organizations to justify charging for content. Wouldn’t you pay to get SI (or whatever your mag of choice is) in this format: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntyXvLnxyXk
Blame Canada
Wow. I have to admit that’s a pretty compelling video.
Would I pay for it though? I really can’t say. I don’t buy magazines in real life so maybe I’m not the guy to ask. I could see how people who do buy magazines would pay for that. I just wonder if people who are now used to getting something for free, from a website for example, will be willing to go back to paying. I’m not much of a sports fan, so don’t know what how much content SI allows access to for free already. For this to work I’d imagine a publisher would have to restrict content access on their website and quite frankly that’s easy enough to get around. Though having said that I tend to forget that not everyone is technically minded or inclined to do so. I still see plenty of people buying music that they could download instead.
Blame Canada
Wow. I have to admit that’s a pretty compelling video.
Would I pay for it though? I really can’t say. I don’t buy magazines in real life so maybe I’m not the guy to ask. I could see how people who do buy magazines would pay for that. I just wonder if people who are now used to getting something for free, from a website for example, will be willing to go back to paying. I’m not much of a sports fan, so don’t know what how much content SI allows access to for free already. For this to work I’d imagine a publisher would have to restrict content access on their website and quite frankly that’s easy enough to get around. Though having said that I tend to forget that not everyone is technically minded or inclined to do so. I still see plenty of people buying music that they could download instead.
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NOVEMBER HAS BECOME synonymous with “Movember,” the annual event during which guys around the world grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for men’s health, prostate cancer specifically. It’s a brilliant publicity campaign that has gathered a huge amount of … Continue reading → […]
HOW’S THAT FOR heeding a warning? Saw this head-shaking piece of work on the way into a Toronto-area hospital yesterday. If the genius driver responsible for the damage could read the sign, apparently he didn’t get the message. ryan@roadtostarrdom.com […]
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