what about this is so great?

really? how is this sooooo incredibly better than what I get for free NOW on the Internet — with a free web browser?

that I can shift the pages around and zoom in and out really neat? um, hate to break it to you, but that aint worth paying hundreds of dollars for.

and, the “video” that is shown at the beginning is kind of cool.. but, I can already watch the actual game itself LIVE in HD for free (on a larger screen)

so, aside from a few little do-dads (that are hardly worth hundreds of dollars) I dont see this taking off…

sorry

And, yes, of course I’d say the L.A. didn’t just cut its staff, it diminished its product. Most businesses can play the same game — cut expenses until revenues exceed them.

Also, Seattle and Denver aren’t the only cities with newspaper closures the past few years. But we’re getting way off point. How do you propose that daily newspaper websites improve revenue? The part of the game of aggregating eyeballs that pays off (national advertising and sponsorships) is beyond any single newspaper. The chain model is failing. I’m not saying newspaper sites won’t ever make money, but there’s no proven model — and you are not citing one, at least not a feasible one.

Yeah, you’ll say “it’s because they cut their staff.” Fine, but that wasn’t my original point. And the other point that I made, that as revenue gets bigger at newspaper website – as it should because they are the market leaders in CONSISTENT daily traffic for what they provide – then the overall stability of their enterprises will finally level off again.
And, lots of newspapers folded before the Internet. A couple have in the last year – Seattle and Denver. That’s a shame and I appreciate your concern for the overall industry. But there were other “problems” at the papers that folded than just lack of readership.
And, you didn’t make me mad at all. I just chuckle when I read all you doomsayers about the newspaper business. I would worry more about the surivability of fad blogs and websites like this one.

But for people who actually love carefully edited information and sumptuous packaging (the best) magazines are known for, the SI demo is absolutely stunning. It’s the first real hint at what’s possible in an environment where you can combine the speed of digital delivery, portability to read on the toilet/bed/couch/bus/whatever, and retains the awesome design and presentation of the best magazines out there.

On the business end, it will eliminate the costs of paper and distribution — by far the highest cost of producing magazines. It’s not staff or creating content that eats up revenue. It’s putting that darn stuff on paper and shipping it around the country/world.

I doubt I’ll convince you of anything, but I want others to know that I do NOT want newspapers and magazines to fail. I have been sounding the alarm (and doing so for 10 years) because I want them all to wake up. I spent nearly 20 years in the print industry. I have friends who are out of work and scared. And I love print products. I subscribe to two newspapers and dozens of other periodicals. But my love of a product does not obscure my understanding that their presence is much endangered.