‘iPad has taken us from The Flintstones to The Jetsons’
The iPad has helped take News Ltd’s online journalism “from the Flintstones to the Jetsons”, The Daily Telegraph’s editor Garry Linnell has said.
His comments came in a video interview with Mumbrella as the publisher took the unprecedented step of making the editors of its four biggest metro newspapers available for interview at the same time.
For those using devices that don’t support Flash you can watch this video on YouTube.
me smells some cash for comment here …lets do a guest ‘punch’ article, a news ltd website, and also do an interview with them on their ipad app giving glowing reviews!!!!
if this is not published ill take it as a yes….
Me smells some paranoia from Ed. But I’d suggest at least watching the video before putting together the conspiracy. Not only was my review of the iPad app not “glowing”, there wasn’t any review at all. And guess what, Ed, based on your IP address, I see I’ve written a story about your employer today too. No cash for comment there either.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
yes i am contracting for a company you have mentioned today and keeping them on their toes too. good to see your not falling in line with the big boys and getting cash on the side.
happy to hear it.
The Jetsons?
It might just be me, but If I had to create a metaphor for my shiny new 21st Century app, I probably wouldn’t pick a cartoon series that aired in the early 1960’s… long before most app-users were even born.
Headline might as well read “Old Guys Launch App Thingy, Whatever The Fuck That Is.”
Tim, when did Rupert buy the site? That looks like one very big advertorial … as for Linnell attempting to get all hi-tech on us, mate terms like “hyper local” make about as much sense as reading the Tele’s editorial. And really, how many Tele readers (insert Taxi drivers) own an Ipad?.
“Pristell also claimed that News Ltd’s policy of putting editors in charge of both the print and online products works better than other publishers such as Fairfax, which sees its major mastheads the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age with two different managements for the print and online editions.”
works better as in the herald sun and tele websites are smaller than theage and smh websites?
I think people are being a bit harsh – it was a solid interview with interesting info and no free-kicks as far I could see, and while I’m not a fan of News Limited’s editorial policies, their move into apps is an interesting one and well worth a site like Mumbrella covering.
Mumbrella is just as hard on News Limited when it’s deserved as it is on other media outlets. Keep up the good work!
Well Hmmm … that would render Evelyn Waugh’s classic 1984 meaningless then wouldn’t it.
Got to dash – I’m off to get Rosie to do the vaccuming then I’m headed to the shops in my flying-saucer car. (Any coincidence that the Jetsons lived in Skypad Apartments … could be the next Apple product !)
Australians are screaming for journalism, not i-pads.
I’m late but comment 4 is awesome…
If i remember my history 1999 was the day the Moon exploded and sent our entire contingent of Eagles off with moon-base Alpha. what happened to us, a tablet (kinda) pc that pushes junk apps like Macca’s push happy meals? Merde!
A few comments …
1) Fairfax should be worried … News Ltd has beaten them to market with its (proper) iPad apps while they’re still faffing around with a restructure (based on asking consultants what they should be doing, because they don’t know themselves) that’s been pushed back several times.
2) @Hmmm… above should be writing for The Onion.
3) @Megan, what evidence do you have that Aussies are ‘screaming for journalism’. It’s a line that’s trotted out regularly, but as Linnell says, if you ask readers what they want they’ll say ‘hard hitting international and economic news’ and then proceed to ignore such stories when you serve them up in favour of what Lindsay Lohan’s up to.
It just all looked a bit staged to me. Old hacks trotting out a line they don’t believe and desperate to get back to newsrooms, shout at people and break stories. As for journalists queing up to take videos, come on.
Four white guys sitting around talking, but not about how each of their papers has just chalked up another shrunken circ audit. So how is this going to work? Fewer people reading their papers, and for that diminishing audience these gurus of tech and web masters of the universe are chucking Rupert’s money at a scheme to invest a lot more dough in retaining a lot fewer eyeballs.
Not one word, not a syllable, about the content, which might have something to do with more punters deciding its not worth paying for on paper. These guys aren’t dumb. They couldn’t be to have wormed so high up the News Ltd’s greasy poll, so not one is talking about Rupert’s flawed premise: that readers really, really want the entire content of the newspapers they aren’t buying to be delivered digitally.
Even allowing for the bald guy’s Jetson’s reference, the funniest remark is from Pristel (?) who says News is doing so well because editors (him, for example) are in charge of all platforms. Funny thing that. Fairfax has taken the opposite tack and makes money. At News, Digital is the biggest single unit in the company in terms of bodies and budget and has never produced a penny.
These are probably the only four guys on the planet who claim to believe that an octagenarian is the “go to” source for digital wisdom.
“And really, how many Tele readers (insert Taxi drivers) own an Ipad?.”
Big John, you have missed your calling as a sneering royal courtier. Your contempt for the “lower classes” is more than a tad reminiscent of those British commentators practically spitting out the words as they reflected on Prince William’s bride-to-be Kate Middleton’s commoner breeding on TV last week
Shame News Ltd cannot explain why we should pay for content they have sourced, when we can visit the source sites for free. Why should I allow News Ltd to profit from their laziness?
Can someone explain why food in the shops is not free? And why do I have to pay for water that comes out of a tap?
Jetsons, heh.