2010 E-Reader Symposium - Day two live blog
March 9 • Columbia MO
March 8, 2010 8:19 pm bmitch:
NYT's James Dunn says Times will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReader platforms http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10.
March 8, 2010 8:50pm CommunicatorKLC:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 8:51pm Bookgirl96:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 8:53pm willettjf:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 8:55pm carrieimpactpr:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 9:06pm christoronyi:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 9:45 pm davidchivers:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 9:50pm monikamorris:
RT @gretchenrubin: RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
March 8, 2010 10:07pm NiemanReports:
RT@ bmitch: James Dunn of NYT says Times to spin off NYT Book Review as a separate pub on eReader platforms http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10.
March 9, 2010 5:52am hkanji:
RT @TimOBrienNYT: NYT will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReaders http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10. /via @bmitch
7:59 infovalet:
http://http.earthcache.net/htc-01.media.qualitytech.com/COMP008760MOD1/FTC2/030910_ftc_audio/index.html
8:02 jtmstream:
AUDIO: Today's FTC hearing on the future of journalism: http://bit.ly/9ZcKfn / earlier blog post: http://bit.ly/9diJEd #rji #dpa10
8:02 circlabs:
AUDIO: Today's FTC hearing on the future of journalism: http://bit.ly/9ZcKfn / earlier blog post: http://bit.ly/9diJEd #rji #dpa10
8:02 infovalet:
AUDIO: Today's FTC hearing on the future of journalism: http://bit.ly/9ZcKfn / earlier blog post: http://bit.ly/9diJEd #rji #dpa10
8:02 densmore53:
AUDIO: Today's FTC hearing on the future of journalism: http://bit.ly/9ZcKfn / earlier blog post: http://bit.ly/9diJEd #rji #dpa10
9:02 RJI:
WE'RE BACK AND ABOUT TO GET STARTED. This is Bill Densmore, your narrator.
9:02 RJI:
The RJI's Digital Publishing Alliance, headed by eReader/iPad researcher Roger Fidler, wraps up its spring symposium this morning at the Missouri School
of Journalism and there's talk of forming a consortium which would allow news organizations to recommend tablet-device standards to manufacturers and
technology companies. Chief concern expressed in yesterday's day-long discussions -- what level of control will publishers have over the user relationship
and the pricing and packaging of news content in the tablet world?
You can follow this morning's discussion, and offer suggestions questions at the bottom of the CoverItLive narrative:
http://bit.ly/cGtwQg
Or just send questions to wpdensmore@gmail.com or tweet with a hashtag of #dpa10 (which we'll be monitoring).
LINKS:
News industry strategists in Missouri eye e-reader consortium -- http://bit.ly/ctbhiF / live stream 10 a.m. - http://bit.ly/ae6hnn #dpa10
VIDEO STREAMING FROM 10 A.M. EDT:
http://www.rjionline.org/flash-server/stories/live-stream/index.php
AGENDA:
http://www.rjionline.org/events/stories/dpa-spring-2010/index.php
TWITTER STREAM:
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23dpa10
(use #dpa10 hash tag to comment or ask questions)
LIVE TEXT NARRATION
http://bit.ly/cGtwQg
9:05 RJI:
Roger Fidler is now opening the morning session and says the agenda will change a bit this morning. First he'll update briefly on his Digital Newsbook Project, and then go to an open discussion about the the Digital Publishing Alliance, including evolving it, "to take on some larger tasks."
9:06 RJI:
WHAT IS THE DIGITAL NEWSBOOK PROJECT?
Goal: Develop and evaluation a new revenue-generating product that would support and promote investigative and explanatory journalism.
Product: Timely, visually rich eBooks optimized for reading on notebook computers, tablets and ereaders with eight-inch or larger displays.
Research: Produced 14 newsbooks in 2009 for participating DPA members. Placed the newsbooks for sale through an online eBook store [www.ereaderoutfitters.com].
9:07 [Comment From Guest: ]
1) We have to go for the open devices, only by choosing open devices we can hope to avoid having to make publishing systems for so many different kinds of devices that managing them becomes impossible or at least very inefficient.
9:07 [Comment From Guest: ]
We have to go for open devices. Only by choosing open devices we can hope to avoid having to make publishing systems for so many different types of devices that managing them become impossible or at least inefficient. I think we shouldn't have to think more than two platforms: small screen (smart phones) and big screen (e-readers). But achieving this goal really is easy: When having to choose between iPad/Kindle and the rest, go for the rest. iPad/Kindle eventually will have to open, as global standards are entering all parts of the field (including apps). As long as we, the media industry, are in charge of the content we will be able to be a key factor in bringing value to all the different devices that's coming around. But we have to act fast, so the hardware producers and internet providers don't get time to start making their own content or taking over old content providers.
9:07 [Comment From Per Helge Seglsten: ]
(continuing) I think the most important issues for the print media is to get together a software solution that enables us to publish on small screens (smart phones) automatically, without much layout editing etc. and that enables us to publish on big screens (e-readers) with great, reader-friendly and story telling-friendly layout made by a journalist powered layout desk. And most important of all: We have to find a way to get advertisers to embrace the e-reader media. A software solution has to make it possible to create great ads. If we can make this software I think market laws will take us to a scenario where hardware producers compete by offering best possible technical specifications, and all devices out there are delivered to customers with a software that enables customers to download the newspapers and magazines of their choice. And best of all: The newspapers/magazines get the revenue. Havinf followed the symposium online, I've seen a lot of grim faces. But these are great times! We should say goodbye to tree paper and welcome e-paper happily. 23 years ago I started my journalist career with paper and a typewriter. I am looking forward to making the first 3D edition of the housewife magazine I'm working for, long before I retire. Thank you for being able to follow you at RJI! Sincerely, Per Helge Seglsten, Oslo, Norway
9:07 [Comment From Melissa Ludtke: ]
There is a major echo effect going on. Any way to fix it.
9:08 RJI:
To video stream viewers -- We're aware of the echo-effect and are working to eliminate it.
9:13 RJI:
I think the echo problem is gone OK now. Please advise if otherwise.
9:17 RJI:
Welcome to the second day of the Donald W. Reynolds Institute's Digital Publishing Alliance (DPA) spring meeting. We're meeting in the Fred W. Smith Forum at the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Mo. There have been some 70 people participating over two days, including strategy, technology, marketing and business-development executives from a half dozen or more of the major U.S. daily newspapers and groups.
The DPA is a multi-year initiative by RJI to understand and seed the market for eBooks, eReaders and tablet devices. This week's meeting has assumed new urgency because of next week's launch of the Apple iPad -- a large format, color eReader for which many publishers feel they must development "apps."
9:18 RJI:
Yesterday's and today's sessions have been narrated by this writer, Bill Densmore, a consulting researcher to RJI.
9:18 [Comment From Melissa Ludtke: ]
Still an echo when the video is showing. If I dump the video, the echo goes away.
9:27 RJI:
A little more about yesterday's DPA session here at RJI Mizzou -- there was a sense in the room that publishers are rushing to stay abreast of eReader/iPad developments -- to make sure their content and brands are represented. USA Today described their evolving iPad application which will launch with the iPad launch. And the New York Times' James Dunn talked in very general terms about their work with Apple -- which is under a tight non-disclosure agreement.
9:28 RJI:
But in conversations during breaks, several news industry strategists seemed to worry that just rushing their content onto platforms controlled by the technology companies could be repeating the industry's approach to the World Wide Web -- put up the content and figure out the business model later.
9:29 RJI:
BACK TO THE DISCUSSION IN THE ROOM NOW AFTER THAT BIT OF ANALYSIS! (BIll Densmore)
9:32 RJI:
The continuing discussion now is about how to accelerate the DPA's eBooks initiative, with the idea of having a sort of teach-in at RJI for learning how to prepare books quickly and simply.
Upcoming in 10 minutes or so is a discussion of the consortium idea.
9:33 RJI:
warhovert: @Digital Publishing Alliance meeting. Newsbooks to support enterprise reporting. Use it for NIE? #dpa10
9:33 RJI:
NiemanReports: #dpa10. Roger Fidler looking at future of Digital Newsbooks. Nieman Reports has four. Available at ereaderoutfitters.com.
9:36 RJI:
Fidler says he has been working with Investigative Reporters and Editors on some of their investigative work.
Dean Mills, dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, asks why people are paying for eBooks when they can get the same content for free.
Fidler says they are paying for the reading experience and the convenience of the package. "I would like to find a way to do some research on that," Fidler says. A possibility -- RJI may research it.
9:38 RJI:
"If these newsbooks could be available at a reasonable price, customizable into a local market ... then I think you are going someplace," says Scott Sines of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. He thinks this would make eBooks more relevant to local papers.
9:39 RJI:
MORE about the project:
http://www.rjionline.org/digital-publishing/newsbooks/stories/about/index.php
9:41 RJI:
Fidler now invites David Donovan, vp-business development for iRex USA, to talk about their implementation of the Newsbooks idea.
9:43 RJI:
"We look at is a manufacturer from a different perspective from the publisher," says Donovan. That's because iREX absorbs connectivity costs for their device. "We are on hook to Verizon for all the connectivity costs," so as a result they have incentive not to enable too many hypertext links, even though technically they good. Fidler points out that the Amazon Kindle doesn't allow outbound links at all -- presumably for the same reason (Amazon absorbs 3G connectivity costs in the price of the Kindle).
9:44 RJI:
So for Donovan, a huge cost-structure issue is keeping file sizes as small as possible. On their ebook mall they have a list of store fronts. (see: http://bit.ly/cdiALo )
9:46 RJI:
iREX is on competition with other eReader manufacturers, but it says it will collaborate with the Skiff -- the Hearst offering -- according to this story:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703735004574574290782602228.html
9:49 RJI:
BANDWIDTH IS BIG ISSUE FOR EBOOK VENDORS, I REX FINDS
(notes above and below)
Donovan says their business model is to share revenue with the publisher. They pick a fixed percentage of the book price and give it to the publisher at the end of the month. But if the file size creeps up and bandwidth goes up, "our margin gets squeezed in the middle." But to keep the file-size smaller they push on the publisher to make files small -- or take a smaller percentage.
The other model they propose is to pass on the bandwidth costs to the publisher as a pass through which reduces the publisher's percentage pro-rata on the sale.
Fidler says the typical newsbook is a file size of 800K to 1MB. BA
9:49 [Comment From Per Helge Seglsten: ]
New York Times is demonstrated on the new HP Pad: http://besttabletreview.com/antipad-hp-slate-tablet-makes-video-debut/
9:51 RJI:
A question from Tom Warhover via the Twitter stream: warhovert: #DPA10: More on newsbooks for enterprise. Question: Has DPA talked with APME -- it has been highlighting i-reporting all year?
9:58 RJI:
The RJI officially launched two pilot online stores at the DPA meeting on May 5. It's two partners are:
-- eReader Outfitters, a privately held company based in Pleasanton, California, is an online store dedicated to selling eBooks, e-readers and accessories. The URL for the Web site is www.ereaderoutfitters.com/RJI+Newsbooks.110/.
-- MBS Direct, a division of MBS Textbook Exchange based in Columbia, Missouri, provides online purchasing of textbooks and course materials for students and faculty in K-12 and higher education. The URL for the Web site is www.mbsdirect.net/newsbooks.The RJI officially launched two pilot online stores at the DPA meeting on May 5.
9:59 RJI:
WRAPUP DISCUSSION: HOW COULD DPA BECOME A MORE ACTIVE CONSORTIUM?
Roger Filder has now turned the conversation to how the Digital Publishing Alliance might serve a larger role to the industry, setting up a board.
10:00 RJI:
Participant: "Could the DPA be the standards-making body or push for standards?" For small papers to be involved, without standards, it's not possible.
Fidler says that's a possibility.
10:00 RJI:
Fidler says advertising agencies and advertisers have to play a role in setting standards and they need to be more involved.
10:01 RJI:
Another participant says advertising standards come after establishing technical CMS standards.
10:07 RJI:
Participant, Ray Marcano from Cox Digital Media Group -- Standards come from people who take leadership. He thinks if the DPA sets standards, others will come along. "If we wait to collaborate on something this complicated" (we will be still waiting in three years). His suggestion: "Put a marker in there."
Sean Reily -- LATimes/Tribune Co. -- "If not here, where. We'll just be waiting and having the same conversation six months from now. We're just going to put down a marker .... it's got to start somewhere, let's just say we're going to do it. .... you go ahead and list the important topics and commit to doing the solutions here."
Another suggestion: Set up a collaborative workspace that various partners in the DPA collaborative can work and experiment at.
Can small papers with their content-management systems participate or is it too complicated for them, one of the vendors asks. There needs to be standardization. If the publishers came up with design and advertising standards, "we would certainly support them."
10:07 PaulatTheBlade:
SEEMS NYTimes, Gannett and others interested in opening up a 'collaborating workspace' where we could all benefit from standards. #dpa10
10:09 RJI:
Bob Gilbert of Morris Digital says there is a who production workflow that has to happen that isn't happening now.
10:10 RJI:
James Dunn: NYTIMES -- Says it isn't that they aren't interested in participating. "We would be happy to help organize the rest of the industry providing it is not largely time consuming ... we'd be happy to share those insights (that they have learned within their own business).
10:12 RJI:
Fidler: He notes that the magazine industry's six largest players have set up a company to development content and advertising standards. John Squires, head of that, "want to take a more proactive role" to define what the magazine industry needs."
NYTIMES OFFERS TO SHARE IDEAS AROUND RSS/OTHER FEEDS
"My perspective on this is it is just so early," says the NYTimes' James Dunn says. "Everything is so nascent." He says the Times would be happy to come up with some standards around their RSS and other feeds. "Helping the rest of the industry standardize around that we would be happy to participate in that so long as it is not a distraction from our core vision."
10:12 PaulatTheBlade:
NYTimes concerned about what eReader technology may emerge as the winner #dpa10
10:14 RJI:
Ray Marcano of Cox says the problem isn't that people are not willing to collaborate it is who has the time to collaborate?
Fidler: Newspapers are thin on resources to work on a new project. "Even getting an hour of somebody's time at a newspaper is getting harder and harder to do . . . the question is can we do some of that work for you here? We are trying to figure out from RJI's perspective how far we can go." RJI would love to have a larger staff, but there would have to be money to support it from sources other than just the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, which has been very generous to RJI to date.
10:14 RJI:
Fidler: "It does seem some of the newspapers are willing to hand off some of these things."
10:14 [Comment From donn: ]
it is extremely troublesome that ad agencies don't want to join this discussion. Could it be because they don't want to advertise on these devices or with our companies?
10:17 RJI:
Fidler: He asks Beth Lawton if there is anyone at the Newspaper Association of America who would be willing to help?
Lawton: Someone in the business-development department can be of assistance.
10:20 RJI:
Participant Scott Sines from the Memphis Commercial Appeal (Scripps newspapers): "If the DPA could be a collecting point for various strategies" that would be helpful. He says the key problem is sharing knowledge about how you implement in the newsroom. "What are the strategies inside the newspaper than allow you to reach to that standard ... having a standard is a fine thing, reaching it is a different thing."
10:21 [Comment From Carole: ]
What if change is the constant and no one format ever emerges as the "winner"? Then -- more than ever -- publishers need to work together to create a standard in which they issue content.
10:21 [Comment From Carole: ]
Ad agencies don't expect to dictate the form in which ads will appear. They expect the people who sell the venue to create a form in which they can craft messages in an efficient and economic way.
10:23 RJI:
Carole Christie is now in the room to amplify her two comments above. She says groups that form around a subject need to be a community. Christie, who is marketing director for the Reynolds Journalism Institute, proposes to create a collaboration resource that would facilitate communication among DPA members. She says this will be part of RJI's "souped up website." She asks for input on tools needed to help further the DPA's mission.
10:26 RJI:
toledonews @densmore53 makes contribution that there are online collaboration models that we could use for reaching standards for ads, content #dpa10
10:29 RJI:
Bill Densmore: Asks if there is a specific action to take? Participant: "One thing we could consider is the DPA establishing some body to work on standards."
10:30 RJI:
Participant: Consider the idea of joining up with Next Issue Media on a collaborative basis?
Sean Reily of the LA Times/Tribune Media Says he is meeting with Next Issue Media folks in New York City on Thursday and will put that on the agenda for discussion.
10:31 RJI:
Fidler: "In this room is there a sense there are people who would be willing to participate in a committee to examine the standards issues?"
Marcano: He thinKs so. He suggests send an email to see which folks are willing to participate.
10:40 RJI:
Fidler listens as folks around the Fred W. Smith Forum here at the University of Missouri School of Journalism offer their willingness to join a standards-development consortium for eReader/iPad publishers.
Derek Robinson, Cox Media Group in Atlanta is willing to be on the list. He talks about the Open Mobile Video Coalition and Project Pearl as two other standards-considering organizations. "It's another place to look to for good ideas."
Vince Kern of the Detroit Media Partnership will help.
Bob Gilbert of Morris Communications says he'll help.
Beth Lawton from Newspaper Assn. of America: "I think it is definitely something we should be involved in."
John Crisp and Paul Hem from The Toledo Blade will help.
Sam Kurtz with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will help.
James Dunn of NYTimes says he'll be the liaison there.
Sean Reily will get someone else from Tribune Company involved.
Guy Tasaki of Page Foundry will participate.
Another technologist -- Blake Pollard of LibreDigital, says yes.
Scott Sines of the Commercial Appeal (Scripps) On implementation, he will help. He doesn't think he is the person to help on standards development.
Fidler: "Putting this together will be the top priority of the DPA." He says he will be in touch with everyone within a week.
10:40 RJI:
WE ARE TAKING ABOUT A 10-MINUTE BREAK NOW.
10:47 RJI:
Addendum to above: the Cox Media Group representative is Derek Robinson, director of corporate strategy.
10:51 RJI:
RESUMING NOW, Min-Kyu Lee, dean of the graduate school of journalism at the Chung Ang University, (Seoul, Korea), is now talking about Korean newspapers are using mobile devices. This is important, because Korean's population is densely packed in urban areas where wireless connectivity is excellent - far better and faster than in the United States -- so bandwidth isn't as big a consideration.
10:51 [Comment From Melissa Ludtke: ]
If there is a constructive role that you think Nieman Reports could play in this standards discussion, we'd be happy to be involved.
10:53 RJI:
On Korea, 41.6% of respondents in a survey are aware of the eReader to some degree. About 31% of eReader users are satisfied with the eReader compared to a book. About 32% of users make use of the eReader for literature, 17% for economics and business, 12% for language studies, 10% for comics, 8% for social interaction, 6% for hobbies and 15% for other uses.
10:54 RJI:
The most popular feature of the eReader in the Korean survey was portability -- 25% liked that feature. Readability was cited by 49% of the eReader buyers for their purchase decision, 40% design, 22% price, 12% accessibility, 7% display size and 4% memory size.
10:58 RJI:
Of respondents, 27% said getting improved content was the biggest improvement needed for the eReader, followed by 21% ease of use and 14% upgraded technology.
"the National survey shows people have high expectations toward the eReader, however they complain about poor content on the eReader," says Lee. They like that it is a smart machine, but has limited accessibility. They like that it is eco-friendly. It is likely that illegal downloading will proliferate, Lee says the survey finds. It helps people to regain the reading habit -- but it reveals deficiencies in copyright law.
11:08 RJI:
In Korea, the idea of most publishers is to give the eReader to users for free, and then make money on advertising, says Lee. He says the government is pushing eReader deployment in part as an ecological move to save paper and newsprint.
11:10 RJI:
Vince Kern of the Detroit Media Partnership asks if bandwidth in Korea subsidized? Lee says he's not sure. Bandwidth policy in Korea is beyond Lee's expertise. In Korea, consumers pay for their own bandwidth.
11:11 RJI:
Lee is a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism.
11:13 RJI:
Fidler is wrapping up the DPA meeting now. This CoverIt Live stream will be archived on the Reynolds Journalism Institute website. I'll send a tweet to #dpa10 when we have it up or you can check the http://www.rjiblog.org .... thanks for joining us -- for your questions, attention and participation. If you have suggestions for other ways that RJI can help with the values, principles and purposes of journalism please email Carole Christie, christiec@rjionline.org
-- Bill Densmore
11:13 [Comment From Randy Novak_NSA Media: ]
Please consider me for participation in the standards development consortium from the agency side. Randy Novak NSA Media - Twitter @RandyNovak_NSA / 630-729-2319 randy.novak@nsamedia.com
11:14 [Comment From donn: ]
Has anyone talked about eReader durability vs. the tablets? Kindles can be tossed about with damaging. I've broken more than 3 portable LED screens. Without a cover the problem will be worse. and Apple doesn't cover damage to LED caused by use ... like a dog walking on the device placed on the ground, or something falling on the screen ... or a car backing over the backup with device in it ... or the device falling to the ground ... all things i've seen in the newsroom
CLOSING TWEETS AT #dpa10:
petermengo: Amazon working on a better web browser for Kindle> http://bit.ly/97U6xE #dpa10
NiemanReports: #dpa10 DPA meeting wraps up with a commitment to develop standards for getting newspapers onto ereader platforms. http://bit.ly/adGYRg
algibes: Samsung eReader coming soon to Barnes and Noble for $299: http://bit.ly/bI03h9 #DPA10
dorsey: RT @bmitch: NYT's James Dunn says Times will spin off the New York Times Book Review as a separate pub on eReader platforms http://bit.ly/cxRyqK #dpa10.
StephPadgett: Koreans site green friendliness key benefit of eReader Cons have high expectations of product but disappointed in content & usability #DPA10
PaulatTheBlade: People identified as participants in a standards committee - looking at distance meeting via collaboration tools #dpa10
vincekern: #DPA10 is winding down...BEST one yet and shaping up to be an energing source for newspapers transforming to digital reading platforms.
toledonews: @densmore53 makes contribution that there are online collaboration models that we could use for reaching standards for ads, content #dpa10
PaulatTheBlade: Discussion: collaboration between newspapers, how? Time constraints, staff shortages... #dpa10
JPolicastro: RT @algibes: Newsbooks, a new format to present investigative journalism. And people are paying for them, too! http://bit.ly/cTvndv #DPA10
NiemanReports: RT @algibes: Newsbooks, a new format to present investigative journalism. And people are paying for them, too! http://bit.ly/cTvndv #DPA10
PaulatTheBlade: NYTimes concerned about what eReader technology may emerge as the winner #dpa10
blawtonnaa: Anyone seeking more info on Next Issue (the magazine consortium) can go here http://nextissuemedia.com/ #dpa10