Publishers skeptical of Apple iPad business model

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Comments

  • Reply 81 of 97
    So you are saying you subscribe to ABC or CNN when you watch them and you are giving them personal info? Are you serious? You don't give them jack when you watch TV.



    In this day and age of privacy concerns, the idea that you have to give a publisher personal demographics to receive the news is absurd. These publishers don't have to know about you to tell the news. The news is news no matter who reads it. If they have to "tailor" the news to the audience, it is called "advertising". Big difference between the two.



    Publishers want information on you so they can manipulate you with the news. Go back and read Orwell's "1984" for a picture of how news can be used to manipulate the truth. That is why no one needs the private information of iTunes or iBooks subscribers.
  • Reply 82 of 97
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    The question here is how long will the paper exist on the device? A day, a week, a month, forever?



    It's the same question with magazine subscriptions. Will we be able to back up and keep all copies, or do they go away after a time?



    That's a very interesting question, can't believe it didn't occur to me until now. Hopefully it will let you sync old issues with iTunes and archive them on your HD. Steve Jobs has shown a preference for buy-to-own over rental models in the past.
  • Reply 83 of 97
    kibitzerkibitzer Posts: 1,114member
    What I'm worried about is the significant and continuing decline in content quality as news organizations are reshaped by this inevitable, excruciating revolution. Quality journalism and commentary is disappearing. Editorial management has crumbled and news judgment has suffered. Editorial budgets have been cut and semiliterate neophytes have been hired at bargain basement rates to replace qualified, experienced professionals whom publishers are no longer willing to compensate. Bad grammar, bad spelling, poor organization, missing facts and slack editing are the rule today rather than the exception.



    And through this upheaval we have newly empowered digital consumers who have yet to realize that ultimately, they get what they pay - or don't pay - for.



    Who knows how long it will be until until a new, workable and durable news and information business model takes root? Intrinsic to that model must be adequate funding to produce quality content - to rebuild strong, competent news gathering and editing organizations.



    I believe that quality will continue to deteriorate for some years to come before we see it stabilize and improve. I'll be surprised if the general quality of news we obtain 10 years from now isn't worse than it is today.
  • Reply 84 of 97
    Imagine if you filled out a survey when you started your e-subscription to say the NYT.

    The survey would consists of things I am interested in or would like to buy. They could then tailor the advertising to my likes rather than generic ads (things I am not interested in at all) There is a saying among people who advertise. "I know 50% of my advertising is wasted I wish I knew which 50%) This would solve that problem for advertisers. This survey could be optional as well. The incentive would be to give me a 10% price break on the subscription vs someone who didn't fill out the survey.

    Kind of like at the supermarket. If they have your data you get a members price if not you pay a higher price.



    The magazine or newspaper will have ads it is just a question of what ads I will see.

    Or you could pay a higher subscription price if you wanted no ads at all.

    Many options and ways to tailor it.
  • Reply 85 of 97
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iGenius View Post


    In dollar terms or in unit terms? If the latter, how are single tracks compared with CDs?



    Unit terms. It's a bit higher than that by now I guess, possibly 25 to 27%. I was using a number from over 6 months ago. It's song to song.
  • Reply 86 of 97
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    That's a very interesting question, can't believe it didn't occur to me until now. Hopefully it will let you sync old issues with iTunes and archive them on your HD. Steve Jobs has shown a preference for buy-to-own over rental models in the past.



    That's what I'm hoping. I keep a lot of magazines for reference. After a year or so, I look through them and throw away a lot. But over the years, they accumulate.
  • Reply 87 of 97
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,010member
    I'm not sure what the publisher's are talking about...in the "traditional" method of publication distribution (ie going to the bookstore or periodical newstand), I would imagine they collected no personal information as to who was buying their books or magazines (unless the fine print Terms and Conditions of Borders and B&N discount cards indicates that they can share your purchase information with the publisher..)



    Same with Amazon - does their T&C allow them to share your purchasing data with the publishers? I doubt it - I'm a huge Amazon Prime customer, and have never received promotional email relating to my purchases from third parties...



    So what "years of cultivation" are they referring to?
  • Reply 88 of 97
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thrang View Post


    I'm not sure what the publisher's are talking about...in the "traditional" method of publication distribution (ie going to the bookstore or periodical newstand), I would imagine they collected no personal information as to who was buying their books or magazines (unless the fine print Terms and Conditions of Borders and B&N discount cards indicates that they can share your purchase information with the publisher..)



    They're talking about subscribers. If you subscribe, you have to give them your address, that's the only way they know where to mail it. Maybe you could get around it a bit if you have a PO box, I don't know how much info the post office shares about their PO box users.



    I don't know what other information they get though, it would have to be brought in from other sources and correlated.
  • Reply 89 of 97
    pmzpmz Posts: 3,433member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    They're talking about subscribers. If you subscribe, you have to give them your address, that's the only way they know where to mail it. Maybe you could get around it a bit if you have a PO box, I don't know how much info the post office shares about their PO box users.



    I don't know what other information they get though, it would have to be brought in from other sources and correlated.



    Signing up for a PO BOX is like applying for an AMEX. And the post office = the federal government.
  • Reply 90 of 97
    thrangthrang Posts: 1,010member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    They're talking about subscribers. If you subscribe, you have to give them your address, that's the only way they know where to mail it. Maybe you could get around it a bit if you have a PO box, I don't know how much info the post office shares about their PO box users.



    I don't know what other information they get though, it would have to be brought in from other sources and correlated.



    Right, this I do understand, but I'm imagining traditional subscriptions for newspapers and magazines has been declining for years (in our household we subscribe to half of what we did five years ago, and buy one-off's on the newstand...this year we will be cutting more)



    I was thinking more of the book side of things...I really don't know that they're giving anything up going to Apple's model



    In fact, I would bet that Apple could provide extraordinary detailed aggregate data while protecting buyers anonymity - best and worst categories/genres, authors, price sensitivity, store browsing habits, abandoned carts, whatever - that would give publishers more than they get now from traditional outlets.
  • Reply 91 of 97
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NormM View Post


    The Section titled "When we disclose your information" begins with the paragraph,



    "Apple takes your privacy very seriously. Apple does not sell or rent your contact information to other marketers."




    That's the general statement, but it is limited by what comes afterwards. Apple does indeed share your information with: "companies that Apple has a strategic relationship with or that perform work for Apple to provide products and services to you"



    Apple has a strategic relationship with many companies. Many companies perform work for Apple to provide products and services to Apple customers.



    Such companies include all App Store sellers. All the iTunes sellers. And soon, all the print media content providers.
  • Reply 92 of 97
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dbossmon View Post


    Good for apple not sharing customer data Privacy is very important.



    Has Apple refused to share the data? Or have they refused to give it away for free?
  • Reply 93 of 97
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    "Bingo" what? You and iGenius should become more informed.



    Fill me in then.



    I read the relevant portion of Apple's privacy policy. It stated that Apple can divulge info to "companies that Apple has a strategic relationship with or that perform work for Apple to provide products and services to you"



    This seems pretty damn broad to me, considering how many pies Apple has its finger in.
  • Reply 94 of 97
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by LTMP View Post


    Apple does not sell or rent your info to other marketing companies.

    From the Apple privacy page:



    "When we disclose your information



    Apple takes your privacy very seriously. Apple does not sell or rent your contact information to other marketers."



    But they DO to "companies that Apple has a strategic relationship with or that perform work for Apple to provide products and services to you"
  • Reply 95 of 97
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pmz View Post


    Signing up for a PO BOX is like applying for an AMEX. And the post office = the federal government.



    I'm unfamiliar with AMEX policies, other than they charge merchants about twice as much as Visa/MC. The post office is in a weird state with the federal government, it's part of it but not part of it. It does look like the PO box is relatively private, though the disclaimer says financial institutions can get the information.
  • Reply 96 of 97
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by LTMP View Post


    Strategic partners doesn't include providers of content. It does, however, include Google, which pisses me off.



    Providers of content are likely included within "companies ... that perform work for Apple to provide products and services to you"



    Apple reserves the right to share your info with these companies.
  • Reply 97 of 97
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iGenius View Post


    Providers of content are likely included within "companies ... that perform work for Apple to provide products and services to you"



    Apple reserves the right to share your info with these companies.



    A lot of assumptions are being made here by people on both sides of this issue. From my understanding, from talking to people at Apple, they do not sell information to anyone. They share, anonymously, information with partners like AT&T, Google, and a very few others. But the information doesn't include names, addresses, phone numbers, etc.
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