Update on the "Paywall"

I've had a couple of posts about online news sites trying to charge for their content. From The New York Times (who still haven't done it, probably because they're trying hard not to lose their last 10 readers), to Newsday, to Newscorp's several attempts at paid content.

Well Newscorp is doubling down their bet into paid content with the release of The Daily for the iPad. While the iPad is, in my opinion, a stupid product from Apple, Newscorp and everyone else in the free world is certain it's the next iPod/iPhone, and are out buying them to ensure they will be.

Regardless, The Daily is paid content, costing $1.00 a week or $40 a year. Will it succeed? Probably not. The Wall Street Journal remains the anomaly in the paid content world, in that they are allegedly making money. If Newscorp's experience with The Times of London's 'paywall' is any indication, The Daily will be a miserable failure. The Times has seen it's web traffic drop somewhere between 60 - 90 % since erecting their paywall. Ouch. Making people not want to look at your newspaper is a good way to go out of (the news) business.

But this one might be different, if Murdock can convince all those affluent Apple fans that The Daily is the next 'must have' app. I'm guessing, even that is hopeless.

An Idiot Abroad: Perhaps this can wash that Gold Rush disaster from my memory

I just watched the first episode of an Idiot Abroad on the Science Channel. This show is basically a travel documentary of Karl Pilkington's adventures around the globe. It's very enjoyable, although the title is somewhat misleading as Karl , the supposed 'idiot' of the program, is actually just like you and me, dealing with serious culture clash in the 3rd world.

Ricky Gervais says this of the show:

This is a (more real) documentary than most others you'll ever see on television. We don't plan it, he doesn't know what's going to happen.

This is produced by (and stars)Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. If the first episode is any indication, it is worthy of your time.