Pages

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

WSJ Adding Options To Its Pay App

Sometimes you don't want to buy the whole loaf for a single piece of bread, or the whole album for a single song. So too is the case with digital newspapers. As The New York Times looks to enter the digital subscription market, The Wall Street Journal continues to be one step ahead. "Looking to get more subscribers for its iPad app, The Wall Street Journal will start selling single-issue digital versions of its morning paper for $1.99 in the within the existing free app." Understanding that there are occasional readers who may not want a subscription, WSJ is now ready to offer a single day's issue. Isn't that how newsstands function, selling daily papers. Offering single sales to the "casual" reader also provides for great sampling as a means to pushing a subscription later. It seems the virtual newsstand is finally coming together.

Howard Stern Fighting With Sirius

I guess things aren't so rosy between Howard and Sirius despite the recent renewal of his contract. "In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York, Stern, his agent Don Buchwald and Stern's production company, One Twelve Inc., claim Sirius failed to pay stock awards due in exchange for helping the satellite radio service exceed its subscriber growth targets." So one must wonder, is there more to this story. Contracts are never as clear cut as they are meant to be. Has Sirius found a loop hole to stop paying Howard stock or is something else amiss?