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That Was Fast: News Corp's Just Launched iPad-Only Publication Losing Journalists

from the into-the-lifeboats dept

Tue, Mar 15th 2011 6:57pm — Mike Masnick

We had warned from early on that News Corp's "iPad-only" fee-based publication, The Daily, was a disaster in the making. After a ton of hype, and launching a few weeks ago to a ton of overwrought praise, all we've been hearing is that people aren't buying. A bunch of folks checked it out early, and then it more or less disappeared off the map. And now, it appears that staffers are bailing at a rapid rate. Of course, in the run up to launch, there was all this talk about how Murdoch was hiring a ton of big name journalists and staffers away from other publications. To see a bunch of them rushing out the door, barely weeks after the launch, suggests this may be a failure of epic proportions.

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Filed Under: ipad, paywalls, platforms, the daily
Companies: news corp.

24 Comments

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MrWilson, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:11pm

Somebody is stealing his employees, just like they're stealing his content!

Why isn't there a law that keeps rats from abandoning a sinking...er, employees from leaving a business with a perfectly valid business model?
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:23pm

It's the internet pirates and the BBC that are causing all this. Damned commies.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:26pm

Re:
I blame that terrorist guy, you know, that guy, Al-something, um, Al Jazeera!

I think he's also a pirate.
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Jay (profile), 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:34pm

You mean there's something that Rupert Murdoch's money can't buy? *le gasp!*
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James, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:43pm

Hmmm..
If Murdoch is into buying things, why not just buy subscribers then he'd plenty of people to read his newspaper-thingee.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:49pm

Re: Hmmm..
I suppose he can make his money off of advertisers. That's a thought. Paying people to advertise to them.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:51pm

Re: Re: Hmmm..
And if he gave away his papers for free, then he could make a lot of money from advertisers!

We're geniuses! We should start up a business.
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Elizabeth, 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:58pm

I'd pay if the content was good. The app is interesting, but I had no desire to pay for the content. Hate to say it, but the NYT has a great iPad app and great content. If/When the pay wall goes up, I'm in.
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Atkray (profile), 15 Mar 2011 @ 7:58pm

Re: Re: Re: Hmmm..
You can't give it away, that won't ever work.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 8:19pm

Re:
Could it be that the only thing that can't compete with free is the expectation to be able to buy your way into dominance.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 15 Mar 2011 @ 9:21pm

Re:
The pirates at Somalia probably call this... er, quitting?
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 9:28pm

He should go back to the 20th century where he belongs
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 9:49pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Hmmm..
But paying people to have it works.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Mar 2011 @ 9:52pm

The key word here is...ton
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lens42, 16 Mar 2011 @ 12:21am

How do you make money of these failure?
I need a way to cash in on situations where I know something is a dud, but the public spin doesn't. Shorting News Corp stock wouldn't work in this case because the iPad app is a drop in the bucket for them, so a flop won't really hurt them. Is there Las Vegas book on this stuff?
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General Emergency (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 3:03am

Sadly, I am responsible for the failure of the The Daily...
Rupert was bound to to find out sooner or later so I might as well come clean here on TechDirt.

I recently wrote a new program that creates "Droves" very efficiently and I have been flooding the internet with them.

Unfortunately, these Droves are the kind that "stay away".

Sorry Mr. Murdoch.

I shall expect a call from your lawyers shortly.
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Mrdowntown, 16 Mar 2011 @ 4:16am

Bobble Heads
Read the link. For all you Google Bobble Heads, nothing about the Daily sinking. SJ is right. Just "post-PC" fears here!
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The eejit (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 4:50am

Re: Bobble Heads
You do realise that Newscorp makes people sign anti-criticism agreements, right?
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d_mat (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 4:54am

The Competition?
Well, after seeing the other options for magazines on the iPad I am just not that surprised. Look at the Genieo and feedly apps: good looks with none of the lock-in (I have no vested interest, found them while planning what to do with my iPad 2 when I get it ;).

Not that they will take the world by storm, but that doesn't seem to be the direction all this is going anyway. Its not about one product, not even about one method. Its about choice, and The Daily leaves you with one source of news and one method in one app... and you pay more! then again, The Daily might be one of those options that you get to choose from... I just don't see it being the savior it was publicized as.

No, I'm not saying it has to be free. Yes, of course journalists need to make a living. But it has to happen in today's world with today's technology and today's expectations. Putting a newspaper into the iPad does not change the newspaper or fix the problem they have.

Be it advertising or CwF+RtB (I'm thinking free headlines with photos and videos to complement/link to youtube, twitter, facebook etc, and in-depth analysis paid per article or subscription options... but I'm no expert) the need for change is here, and those who don't take a risk or leap of faith and try something new will be left behind.
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Mrdowntown, 16 Mar 2011 @ 5:14am

Re: The Competition?
Check out the "World" iPad magazine. The future is bright.
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d_mat (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 5:30am

Re: Re: The Competition?
Diversity is good. Though I would not get a magazine based on a religious perspective (you meant worldmag.com right?) thats a personal choice... exactly what I am talking about! :)
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Mar 2011 @ 7:08am

That was fast. Mike writes off another Newscorp idea because he dislikes Murdoch.
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umbrau44 (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 7:41am

Re:
Pleas enlighten us: what News Corp ideas worked after Mike wrote them off?
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Chris Rhodes (profile), 16 Mar 2011 @ 8:37am

Re:
Directive 10-289? ;)
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