e-ink and its effect on newspapers

In My Humble Opinion
1

This might end up as a debate, but let’s start here.

I heard on NPR today an interview with the creative VP of a firm which has successfully developed something they call “e-ink”, a flexible medium with microscopically small elements that can be turned on and off, making black-on-white letters and images, just like a newspaper (without the ink rubbing off on your hands). If you’ve seen the film Minority Report, think of the newspaper-like objects people were holding on the mass transit when Cruise’s character was escaping, which all updated with his “wanted” picture in real time. There’s a pretty good description of it here

The idea is that these would be wirelessly connected, internally powered, lightweight, flexible or foldable screens that could be updated whenever you want with current news or whatever from a subscription source, obviating the need to print and sell paper newspapers. The supposition in the interview was that these things would be widely available within a couple of years.

So what do you think this would do to the future of newspapers? I work for a newspaper, and would like to think it will survive until I can at least retire.

I think if newspapers are smart they will jump on this technology first, to expand their scope as news providers. But I have no idea what will happen to the current revenue model, where probably 90% of revenue comes from advertising. On the other hand, the biggest expense for newspapers is the cost of printing and distributing the damn things, so it would be an opportunity for them to get out from under that.

So what do you see happening, if this technology becomes available at a reasonable price?

2

In most respects, that sounds pretty damn good to this reporter. As always, there are important issues about reliability here: TV and the Web break stories first these days, but print editions of newspapers are expected to be a little more definitive because they have a little more time to get it right. What happens to that?
I’d also wonder how you would sell these things. Do you sell a new one every day and stop updating it at midnight? Sell one that’s good for a week, or subscriptions, or what exactly?

Even if there’s not much need for advertising, I’m sure the publishers will find a way. Free Web sites are teeming with pop-ups and floating ads.

3

Regular newspapers are dying, they need something ASAP to change their business model. I think this might be it.

Lots of pros:

Readers can select from a larger article pool. I love real news. Hate the fire & ambulance-chasing that fills most of my paper.

Ads can be better targeted. Almost all ads are ignored by readers since they are not relevant. Knowing what the reader is actually reading allows more suitable ads. Advertisers love this. This is how Google makes money. Read Cringely’s take on this.

Printing on paper is a major cost. That goes away.