Just as the iPod released the single song from the album, so is the iPhone, Kindle, Nook, iPad and other devices releasing the single article or topic from the magazine. Check out the report published yesterday at PaidContent on E-Singles at magazine publisher Hearst in the US.
When I first wrote at this blog about tablets years ago, back when some in the newsagency channel said that they would not affect print, I said that the single article or single topic item for purchase will revolutionise the purchasing of content. Now, thanks to Hearst and others, we get to see if this is the case.
Until now E-Singles have primarily been the domain of book and similar content publishers. The Hearst move drives legitimacy for the format. I’m told the some newspaper publishers are playing in this space too.
What does this mean for newsagents? Simple, it means we have to work harder to attract and keep our shoppers. It also means that we need other products and services to attract shoppers to our businesses. This latest E-Singles move intensifies the challenges (I’d call them opportunities) we face.
While I might pay for downloading a song which can be played over and over I’m not sure I would pay for downloading an article which really has only a one time use.
The offer will need to be compelling and they will need to stamp out the availability of free news content elsewhere.