News Ltd launches iPad apps for its big four tabloids
News Ltd has continued its push into tablet content, announcing iPad apps for the company’s big four metro newspapers – Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph; Melbourne’s Herald Sun; Brisbane’s The Courier-Mail; and Adelaide’s The Advertiser.
The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun apps will launch on Friday 19 with The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser launching next month. Mumbrella understands that an app for WA is also in the offing.
Content on the $7.99 per month apps will be updated through the day, including weekends when the apps will also include content from the sister Sunday publications.
Sections will include news, sport, Confidential, opinion, lifestyle and video and photo galleries.
News Ltd CEO John Hartigan said: “Around 15 years ago, the first newspaper websites launched, leading to an explosion in readership. Now a new generation of readers is eagerly consuming digital journalism on tablet devices – expanding our reach even further – and is prepared to pay for high quality content.The new apps will be much more than a static replica of the printed products. They will play to the strengths of the iPad in allowing readers to navigate through our world class journalism, photography and video content. Content will be easily and intuitively accessed with arresting design and strong imagery.”
Launch advertisers include Harvey Norman, Telstra, National Australia Bank, Suncorp, Bank of Queensland, Melbourne Museum, Clarendon Homes and Village Cinemas Australia.
The apps have been developed by digital agency Tiger Spike.
The launches are also creating new job opportunities for journalists.
News Ltd has posted an ad looking for journalists to work an 11pm-7am shift on contract until at least mid-January preparing content. The ad said: “The overnight build will syndicate to ipad apps for the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun initially, and ultimately to the Courier Mail, Adelaide Now and Perth Now as well.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Go Joey!
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ok, this question is playing on my mind and I can’t seem to find the answer.
What is the app’s point of difference?
What is stopping people from just going to the News Ltd website’s instead and checking the news for free that way?
Any intelligent media people know?
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Sarah, there is supposed to be app-only content, produced by the same team of reporters who are already flat-out writing the paper every day.
Re the websites, in the short term nothing is stopping you getting the news for free. But longer-term it’s no secret News wants to paywall everything.
Incidentally, one possible problem with the apps is that they will burn considerable bandwidth; there are concerns this will turn people off them once they get a whopping bill from their carrier.
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@Bill Posters – thanks for clearing that up. Wonder what will be so great about the app-only content though….
And yes good point about the bandwidth – will be interesting to see how it all goes.
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ditto @Tom Go Joey!
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The app-only content is the invoice you get each month. And yeah, go Joey – whoever that is.
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How many iPads are out there?
I’m not going to pay for something that is free today. If you put up a paywall, I’ll go to the competition’s website – failing that, I’ll Tivo the nightly news.
I travel on the train every day, go all over NSW to visit clients weekly, and I have yet to see an iPad in the wild.
Has News forgotten people are struggling to pay their mortgages let alone make a thousand dollar purchase + 7.99 a month + bandwith?
Best of luck Joey!
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