What is the future for newspapers?
Posted by paulstallard on October 3, 2008
TechRadar has reported that UK based Liquavista is developing technology which could usher in an era where newspapers can finally combat declining circulation by repackaging their website content and delivering it, either through RSS or over Wi-Fi/3G with video and flash embedded right in the article. In effect, they will be building a full-colour interactive e-paper reader that will resemble an A4 piece of paper and will feature audio and video content.
The Guardian’s Richard Wray continues: Newspaper editors, grappling with declining circulation and the migration of advertising spending to the internet, have been hoping for years that e-paper will move beyond the drawing board into reality. The dream is of a device allowing readers to upload a newspaper in the morning, then update editorial content as the day goes on, perhaps using a mobile phone or wireless connection.
However, one rather obvious setback to this devise was highlighted on the Press Gazette by Patrick Smith “Just think of the time and cost of downloading all those hi-res imagines – and videos – clogging up the airwaves.”
Could this be the killer piece of technology that takes e-book technology to the next step or are we just not ready for it yet?
Jay said
Great article!
If you asked me a few years ago, I would have said that you could never get rid of print especially the newspaper!
However, due to the stories coming out about newspapers thinking of moving to online, this could be a great opportunity for them.
If this is the end of newspapers (which I very much doubt) they will be greatly missed.