Future Publishing CEO: Lot of Bolloc*ks Talked Re Paywalls
But Future is still looking to charge anyway
Future's top boss of bosses.
Future Publishing, which has seen its annual pre-tax profits plunge by 61%, is looking to get into paywalls for its online content says CEO Stevie Spring.
Speaking to Brandrepublic, Spring patronises both analysts and 'most members of the public' in one fell swoop, saying, "There's a lot of bollocks talked about whether or not you can charge for content online. Most members of the public think they pay for online because they think they've paid their £10, £20 for broadband and that's their library pass and everything else is free."
Despite the "bollocks talked", Spring sees the embattled Future Publishing as well placed to charge consumers for online content from its range of dead-tree publications. She points out that, "Once we've got payment methodology there - such as micropayments - I think we are better placed than any other media company to charge for our content.
"We are doing experiments right across our portfolio. We're doing paywalls, we're doing 'you can only access this if you buy the print product', we're doing 'you can read this but if you want the archive you can pay for it'."
She continues, in slightly less aggressive mode by pointing out that, "The basic laws of marketing say that if I can get something that's substitutable cheaper, more easily, whatever, then I will do."
"So if you're asking me for a comment about Murdoch and his paid-for news, I think the chances are slim or none because it's so ubiquitous, it's so generic."
The 'Murdoch' in question is News Corp CEO, Rupert Murdoch, who is looking to charge for online content for such media as The Sun and the New York Post, while doing an exclusive search engine deal with Microsoft's Bing.
Thanks to MCV for the heads-up to Brandrepublic.
Speaking to Brandrepublic, Spring patronises both analysts and 'most members of the public' in one fell swoop, saying, "There's a lot of bollocks talked about whether or not you can charge for content online. Most members of the public think they pay for online because they think they've paid their £10, £20 for broadband and that's their library pass and everything else is free."
Despite the "bollocks talked", Spring sees the embattled Future Publishing as well placed to charge consumers for online content from its range of dead-tree publications. She points out that, "Once we've got payment methodology there - such as micropayments - I think we are better placed than any other media company to charge for our content.
"We are doing experiments right across our portfolio. We're doing paywalls, we're doing 'you can only access this if you buy the print product', we're doing 'you can read this but if you want the archive you can pay for it'."
She continues, in slightly less aggressive mode by pointing out that, "The basic laws of marketing say that if I can get something that's substitutable cheaper, more easily, whatever, then I will do."
"So if you're asking me for a comment about Murdoch and his paid-for news, I think the chances are slim or none because it's so ubiquitous, it's so generic."
The 'Murdoch' in question is News Corp CEO, Rupert Murdoch, who is looking to charge for online content for such media as The Sun and the New York Post, while doing an exclusive search engine deal with Microsoft's Bing.
Thanks to MCV for the heads-up to Brandrepublic.
Comments
Futile Pube-licking 27 Nov 2009 19:24
1/1
Of course, Murdick can never charge for his news, because it is so ubiquitous. But Future can charge for game reviews, and info on bikes because this cannot be got anywhere else, ever.
Farewell Future, it's been fun. We'l miss you.
Farewell Future, it's been fun. We'l miss you.