Categories: OLD Media Moves

Fortune changes its iPad strategy

Fortune is introducing Monday a new iPad edition that presents readers with a visually appealing mix of free and paid content, an effort to make the app worth swiping through even if you’re not a subscriber, reports Nat Ives of Advertising Age.

Ives writes, “Fortune’s iPad app, like those of most magazines, had previously opened to a storefront — offering nothing to see until you open your wallet or show that you already subscribe.

“‘Most of the industry has little or no contact with the consumers who have downloaded the shell but have elected not to become regular issue buyers or subscribers,’ said Jed Hartman, group publisher for Fortune and CNNMoney.com. ‘This creates a dialogue and relationship with them.’

“Exceptions to the storefront-first approach, such as The Atlantic, are rare. And Fortune, part of Time Inc., is trying to better integrate the paid and unpaid content than others that have tried something similar.

“Fortune hopes people who spend time with the app under its ‘freemium’ strategy will convert into paying subscribers. But nonpaying readers also create a new opportunity for Fortune to serve up ads. The initial sponsors are Credit Suisse, Ally Bank and Brocade.

“The app will continue to include all the ads from the print edition as well.”

Read more here.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.

Recent Posts

LinkedIn finance editor Singh departs

Manas Pratap Singh, finance editor for LinkedIn News Europe, has left for a new opportunity…

1 day ago

Washington Post announces start of third newsroom

Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray sent out the following on Friday: Dear All, Over the last…

2 days ago

FT hires Moens to cover competition and tech in Brussels

The Financial Times has hired Barbara Moens to cover competition and tech in Brussels. She will start…

2 days ago

Deputy tech editor Haselton departs CNBC for The Verge

CNBC.com deputy technology editor Todd Haselton is leaving the news organization for a job at The Verge.…

2 days ago

“Power Lunch” co-anchor Tyler Mathisen is leaving CNBC

Note from CNBC Business News senior vice president Dan Colarusso: After more than 27 years…

2 days ago

Upset CoinDesk staffers send letter to owner

Members of the CoinDesk editorial team have sent a letter to the CEO of its…

2 days ago