Philip Elmer-DeWitt is covering the launch of The Daily by News Corp. and Apple, live from the Guggenheim:
Some notes:
• New subscription billing with one click: Weekly at 99-cents, yearly at $39.99.
• Navigation is pretty open, including a iTunes type album views. Lots of sharing — e-mail, Twitter right on the page. Fox News talking heads. Games and apps featured. Lots of touch and animation, like the SuperBowl timeline that shows every game through history.
• Murdoch: New times require new journalism. Our challenge was to take the best of traditonal journalism — shoe-leather reporting — and combine it with the best of technology. Simply put, the iPad demands that we completely reimagine our craft. The magic of newspapers and blogs is the element of surprise and the deft touch of a good editor. We must make the business of newsgathering viable again.
Follow along live here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “iWill” for the heads up.]
now i know its unique and made for the ipad, but why pay $40 when i can get news updates for free on their website?
Is this the beginning of the media charging for access to their site?
Will there one day be less news websites for free? Will one day will CNN.com direct you to their ipad app where you’ll have to pay for a subscription?
Seems a pretty good price, I think I remember the local paper wanted to charge me something like $50-$60 a year for the daily paper. I’d never have to worry about this one being wet on my lawn.
As for comparing with freely available news on websites, I think they’re showing it could be worth paying for the full experience that this app can give that’s more then a website can do.
Murdoch? Ha. Pass.
I dont have a problem paying for news, as long as it’s not someones biased opinion. We need a return to the days where journalism was a craft designed to report facts. If people aren’t willing to pay for that, then eventually the amateurs will take over, if they haven’t already.
@Fred
I think it’s a lot more than just information, it’s how you access the information and the UI that it’s presented in..
First two weeks are free, I’ve just downloaded it.. Pretty slick.. Definitely raises the bar..
fred. Look at the app before you jump to the uninformed conclusion. There’s a lot more than just reading news. I’m in for at least 99c!
Murdoch is the Darth Vader of publishing. He is responsible for the devolution of journalism into right wing facist drivel run by Republican Party operatives who’s goal is to destroy the Democratic Party. No matter how cool it looks, consider the source.
If it really is a good paper, then the price is right. $1 a week, and less if you subscribe.
We will just call you Dud for short. LOL!
Macromancer
Could you give us an example of when that was?
I remember a time before the right had a voice in the news, but I don’t recall it ever being non-biased (I’m 48).
But then again, if you agree with the viewpoint reported, you might not see it for slanted….
@FutureMedia
And all the other Newspapers are run by the Democrat Party operatives who’s goal is to destroy the Republican Party.
Murdoch is just trying to add a little balance to the heavily lopsided news media.
Is this damn thing available on iTunes right now? I’ve read like three different articles describing the app and none of them mention that part.
Downloading App now. Wil be subscribing yearly.
@R2
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-daily/id411516732?mt=8
Sounds great except for the “Fox ‘News’ talking heads” bit. I’ll wait for the NYTimes or BBC version, thanks.
i don’t see this replacing my morning paper unless it uses the GPS and gives me all my local news
murdoch just said in interview the built in GPS determines your location so it gives you accurate weather and sports news for you area, but no mention of local news
Since when has “journalism” ever been centered without human bias?
If any one wants the “facts” I would refer them away from any media. Then address police reports and such.
Never the media- ever in history either.
@Joe
Here, here.
if its faux news, unless your in the GOP, who would want this. I don’t care if it 10 cents a year
@NCG598
Exactly! The truth is that ALL news sources are biased. It’s not a failling of the news business (although they’ve voluntarily abdicated their positions as journalists in favor of being “opinion-makers”), it’s a because people are human, and communication must have a certain point of view.
The trick for today’s news consumer is to understand the bias of each source, get news from multiple sources (and biases), and then do some fact checking of your own.
Or, if you don’t have the time for truth-seeking, you could always just demonize the source/bias you don’t agree with – far easier (ignorance always is).
I was almost intrigued.
That is until I watched the press conference Q/A.
Man… what a bunch of frickn douches.
That “Jesse” dude made my skin crawl. And Murdoch; no comment even necessary.
I have grave concerns about what kind of “news” is likely to come from a Murdoch-owned source, but I also think this guy is a shrewd businessman and he knows that he needs the widest possible audience to make this experiment financially work. He starts with a built-in bias against him among moderate and left-leaning iPad users, who, as best as I can tell, make up at least half of the present market. Consequently, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Daily hews to a pretty centrist editorial view, at least until the iPad market grows.
Meanwhile, he has one thing right: 99¢ is the sweat spot for a weekly subscription. Despite my reservations about the source, I might be inclined to try it.
Funny to see people here in the grip of Fox News angst, but have no problem with NYT or BBC. You got.
To got be retarded to not see their bias.
fred you need to take a breath and let this matter sort itself out.
Anyone else making proclamations this early in the process is foolish.
I don’t care who delivers your news!
Bias? You bet. EVERYTHING is biased, including that which you’re seeing with your very own eyes!
Spin? Yes! EVERYTHING is spun. Including the tales.
Let me tell you all something about news. You don’t choose the news, it chooses you!</b?
You filter your news and the moment it reaches your senses, its being biased by your brain.
Two people can hear the same story and each will come away with their own take on the matter.
So STFU! already. Anyone who has an opinion on the news today, is just stupid.
<b>ALL NEWS IS MANUFACTURED! So is the story behind the news. The human drama is a never ending 24-hour news cycle. Where you dip your wick in the stream is a matter of preference….
but stop criticizing those who chose to dip up, or downstream, from the source!
Love the App Murdoch.
It has something for everyone. Until something better comes along, I will stick with your product, even though I hate your guts.