Apple tablet, New York Times online payment launches coincide, says rumor
The paper’s chairman will soon announce how the venerable publication plans to profit from the Internet — a decision that’s been months if not years in the making. Unsurprisingly, it’s believed The Times and Apple could be sharing the limelight.
New York Magazine is reporting well fleshed out rumors that The New York Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. will soon announce details on exactly how the paper plans to charge for its content online — likely a metered system similar to the one used by the Financial Times — and when that might happen.
One personal friend of Sulzberger said a final decision could come within days, and a senior newsroom source agreed, adding that the plan could be announced in a matter of weeks. (Apple’s tablet computer is rumored to launch on January 27, and sources speculate that Sulzberger will strike a content partnership for the new device, which could dovetail with the paid strategy.) It will likely be months before the Times actually begins to charge for content, perhaps sometime this Spring.
Thereupon, Times spokesperson Diane McNulty said, “We’ll announce a decision when we believe that we have crafted the best possible business approach. No details till then.”
Speculating on speculation
Yes, that is pretty darned thin. However, we (small “k”) know that The Times is at least aware of Apple’s tablet plans and the mothership itself has shopped the device + ecosystem to traditional print publishers.
Also, as noted by 9 to 5 Mac, The New York Times has been a favorite of Steve Jobs during his various iPhone dog n’ pony expositions.
Yes, it’s all very, very thin indeed, and nevertheless logical and interesting…
What’s your take?
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January 18th, 2010
There’s also a news publication that has been disjointed from the newscorp mother ship in Australia, ‘The Australian’ and ‘set adrift’ with, in my view a path to the Apple Tablet… Unfortunately Apple and Newscorp are in bed together which is bad for us… but hey… just don’t subscribe to newscorp content and let them continue to slide into oblivion in favour of freelance reporting
February 2nd, 2010
Could this perhaps be yet another push by Apple to becoming a media company? Soon Google could see serious competition…well if they are looking for payment processing in Canada, we’ll be waiting.