Murdoch to launch tablet-only national newspaper in the US
RUPERT?Murdoch is planing an audacious tablet-PC only newspaper in the US.
Murdoch plans to charge users a subscription fee to read his new venture on their iPads. It is understood the as-yet-unnamed paper will draw on resources from his existing media outlets but also have its own staff of several dozen.
The News Corp boss is desperate to secure new revenue streams from the internet for his newspaper empire, which includes the New York Post in the US and the Sun and Times in the UK.
The move is the clearest sign yet that Murdoch is prepared to force through changes to the way people view news content.
Earlier this year he erected paywalls around parts of his UK newspaper stable, charging readers to access information from the Times and Sunday Times. Early reports suggest their readership has been slashed but it remains to be seen whether the sites will become a worthwhile source of revenue.
Murdoch told the LA Times the venture will appeal to readers who consume their news on the go. He said it will focus on short, easily digestible stories ideal for commuters. The tycoon added: “We’ll have young people reading newspapers. It’s a real game changer in the presentation of news.”
Benedict Evans of Enders Analysis told City A.M. there could be a gap in the market for such a venture, but influential technology blog TechCrunch said the move is akin to the doomed charge of the Light Brigade.