In many streets corners of Tirana, newspaper stands are illustrations of how the time of Albania's monolithic communist press has become history, also contradicting the gloomy future often predicted for the industry worldwide. In the capital's hip Blokku district, for instance, the kiosks show glossy magazines with their assortments of automobile, women, computer, and leisure titles. They are less numerous than in developed democracies, but leave a feeling of a vibrant industry.
Similar publications, some of which are familiar to western European and American readers, can be spotted in other limited places like the commercial streets of Durres, the second city and main port. Some Albanian names convey a local exotic touch (Klan, Spekter, Psikologji), unlike other magazines spotted even in areas not so much visited by foreigners (the original English-language, Italian, French, and even Spanish versions of Gente, Femme actuelle, Cosmopolitan).
More intriguing are the political dailies often displayed horizontally on tables - or vertically, hanging like cloths from a string - in front of the newsstands. They are plentiful, easily numbering more than a dozen, which is considerable for a country with only 3.6 million inhabitants. Their cover pages are also widely visible on Albanian television channels,which fill their news program every morning with endless press reviews quoting the main headlines.
Not less remarkable is the fact that print media's oversupply is not enhanced by low brow, yellow journalism. One can spot gossip outlets called Paloma or Intervista, but their presence is somewhat discrete, for the moment at least. Albania does not seem to have followed a strong pattern prevalent in other Balkan countries from Croatia to Romania, with the splashy presence of graphic papers. "One can say that of Kosovo [also primarily populated by ethnic Albanians], where most newspapers are based on a British concept, more tabloid-like. This could not succeed in Albania, because of the communist mentality and not because of Islam [the dominant religion]," comments Albert Gjoka, quality daily Albania's deputy editor-in-chief. "Rather we follow the Italian model with small pictures, big texts, and classical design."
Other serious newspapers with well-established brands include Shekulli ["Century"], Gazeta Shqiptare ["Albanian newspaper"], Zeri i Popullit ["Voice of the People"]. These names are familiar to anyone who wiki-googled the country's press before discovering it directly on the screens or in the streets. Other dailies may ring less a bell, whether they are called Panorama, Republika, or Tirana Observer (not written in English despite its name, and unlike the Albanian Daily News).
In the sport niche, the titles are far from being limited to Sporti Shqiptar [="Albanian sport"]. This is not surprising for a nation where soccer is worshipped everywhere, from district and village matches to international encounters (enhanced by highly visible betting stores and billboards). The self-described oldest Balkan sport paper - created in the 1930s before being shut down when the country became hermetically closed from the rest of the world - has been facing new competitors. Passerbys can spot names like Ekspres Sport, Metropol sport, Sporti & basti, Panorama sport. With its black and white cover page, the so-called Bota e sportit gives a now rare arch-communist flavor to the few kiosks where it is available.
At least 20 general news dailies
Even more than in soccer leagues, it is hard to establish a definitive ranking between the more than 20 general news dailies published in a country lacking audited circulation figures. Positions can change as quickly as the way players change clubs or editors switch to other newsrooms. From watching people in the streets or talking to journalists, however, the press league champion at the end of this first decade of the millennium seems to be Panorama. Shekulli has been at the top of the podium in the past years (if not the most profitable as its cover price is lower than many of its competitors'), but it is now joined - and maybe overtaken - by Panorama with circulation of 20,000.
Their closest and most respected followers, selling less than 10,000 copies, include the Italian-owned Gazeta Shqiptare (which set the tone for the new democracy's media, as many of its former editors now control other important outlets), Shqip or (same name in English) Albania. "Our price is about the double of the two best sellers', and the quantity of news we provide is longer, with 32 pages," says Dori Daka, Shqip's deputy editor-in-chief.
Panorama does not differ much from its peers in appearance, but it seems to be the most popular daily as also shown by an aged cloths seller met at the bazaar. A much younger journalism student, Elida Rustemi, says that she reads it "because it is more factual, less politicized." The would-be reporter attends the so-called UFO University, a private school based on Tirana's central Skanderbeg Square. "UFO" means "Universitas Fabrefacta Optime", and the institution is recognized by established journalists. But these abbreviations convey a feeling of strangeness.
There is definitely a sci-fi dimension in Albania's general news dailies, as they number immeasurably more than in European countries which are 15 to 20-times bigger in terms of population, such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and nearby Italy. Even including its multi-states 5 million-plus nationals living in Kosovo, Macedonia and other countries - who have their own dailies and can hardly have access to the print copies coming from Tirana anyway - the profusion of newspapers seems based on a model which could also be called UFO for "unlimited financing oddity".
Albania's high literacy rate of 99 percent may account for this huge number of publications, totaling about 70 for magazines and 90 for newspapers (the general news dailies representing one quarter of them). But western democracies have comparable education levels, and even considering a positive upshot after decades of tight dictatorship, it is hard to understand this business model.
A more valid explanation may be found in the sums invested by advertisers, at least for some activities. In the past weeks for instance, full pages have been taken over by a telephone company featuring Jim Belushi, the American actor. He is subject of national pride in this part of south-eastern Europe, as the son native Albanians. But this explains his widespread presence far more than the announcers' deep pockets. "Rates are very low, between 200 and 300 euros for a full back page color ad. Maybe 500 euros for the two dailies selling over 15,000 copies," comments Gjoka, who also manages online news agency
www.alblink.com.
Many businessmen want to control their own daily
Just because there are so many papers, there are not necessarily that many readers. Circulation numbers rarely exceed 4,000 and subscriptions are non-existent or of a few hundred maximum; these dailies' newsrooms are usually not staffed by more than 10 reporters. "Only four or five out of the about 23 are really sold, and the total circulation is 100,000 maximum [which is comparable, per capita, to French national dailies' sales]," believes Robert Rakipllari, Panorama's editor-in-chief. "We have many newspapers because we are a new democracy and some businessmen want to have their own. It is good for their ego to see their cover pages mentioned on TV every morning, and they also like to have a pressure instrument on the government."
As a matter of fact, two of the three businessmen who founded Panorama in 2003, active in the construction industry, left shortly after to launch their own dailies, Tirana Observer and Metropol. "There will be a consolidation in three-five years, however, with less than ten dailies left on the market," Rakipllari anticipates.
Beyond this Darwinian fate, the Albanian printed media have also to cope with a malfunctioning distribution system due to the poor infrastructure in a land where half of the population is still rural. Despite some European Union pressure and assistance, there is a lack of cooperation within the industry. "The EU people did nothing to help improve Albanian papers' distribution," Gjoka says.
Albania has been a parliamentary republic since 1990, lagging behind its Balkan neighbors in their efforts to turn into a more modern economy and democracy. Unlike in most eastern European countries, only a few weeklies are available in many regions, and there was no media privatization after communism. The only papers which continued after the communist collapse are the Socialist Party controlled Zeri i Popullit and a few state-owned specialized periodicals (in military, education, research). "There are no regional dailies because the concept is connected to communist propaganda. They were about 26 in 1990," recalls Shqip's editor-in-chief Aleksander Cipa, who also presides over Albania's Union of Journalists and comes from Gjirokaster, a southern city close to the border with Greece. "This absence is mostly linked to market conditions, lack of demand, lack of resources", thinks Ilda Londo, the research coordinator of the Albanian Media Institute (AMI), which manages monitoring and training projects.
Most newspapers have to follow a political or business agenda, as pointed out in the rare surveys on the industry. There are no public subsidies officially, but print media are indirectly assisted through free or cheap access to office facilities, and through state advertising. This represents most of their revenues according to daily Korrieri's editor-in-chief, quoted in one of the last studies, released five years ago by AMI.
Last November, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), the network of editors and media owners, organized for the first time in Tirana a major international journalism event, its yearly "South East Europe Media Forum", focused on marketing and new platforms. The two day conference, hosted in conjunction with AMI, attracted over 300 media executives, journalists and press analysts from the region, and Albania's President Bamir Topi opened it. It was a major achievement indeed, symbolically at least, for a country confined in a safe rather than just behind an iron curtain until 20 years ago.
The event was co-sponsored by Germany's press conglomerate WAZ Medien Gruppe, which is very active in the Balkans and, interesting to note, has no assets in Albania's print media, only in television. Italy's Edisud Media, which publishes La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno just across the channel separating the two countries, is practically the only foreign investor as the owner of Gazeta Shqiptare. Unlike in other central-European countries, foreign control of the media is limited in Albania. The access is unrestricted, but in print journalism at least, they are still not attractive for potential investors from abroad.
Just two days before the conference, an incident in Tirana also highlighted the difficulties of running a newspaper: daily Tema's editor Mero Baze was physically attacked by an oil tycoon and his bodyguards. It was the most notable act of violence in months, by coincidence. Baze is known for denouncing cases of corruption also on television, and had to be brought to a hospital. This was not the first time that he was a victim of an aggression (and earlier in the same year, his daily had also been expelled from its offices based in a state-owned building).
The violence was widely condemned within and outside the conference, not the least by Tema's competitors. It also served as a reminder of past habits, when intimidation and self-censorship was notwithstanding much more widespread. "Albania is between the Bulgarian, organized crime, and the Russian, oligarchs' model," says Gjoka, whose newspaper promptly reacted, devoting its cover and the full page three to the attack. "We are also having new journalism schools created, like UFO University's, and our investigative journalism is in its first steps."
Going back to Tirana's fashion district, the boutiques hardly hide the old decrepit buildings behind or over them, which are like vestiges of communism. But the numerous titles on display in newsstands are not just façades either. In spite of being mostly financed by businessmen with agendas, or sometimes threatened by thugs who do not understand there are more subtle ways to defend their interests, Albanian dailies are definitely symptoms of a democracy in progress, where what is on print - more than on internet for the moment - is part of the political debate.
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2010/02/study_looks_into_what_news_articles_peop.php&bodytext=<form contenteditable="false" mt:asset-id="5682" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/whoemails.gif"><img alt="whoemails.gif" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/02/whoemails-thumb-200x258-5682.gif" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="258" width="200" /></a></form>Researchers at the <b>University of Pennsylvania</b> have extensively studied The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/"><i>New York Times</i></a> list of most e-mailed articles, checking every 15 minutes for more than six months, analyzing the content of thousands of articles, and controlling for factors like the placement in the paper or on the Web home page, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/science/09tier.html?ref=media">The New York Times reports</a>.<br /><br />Results from the study show that NYTimes readers have exalted tastes - seeking to inspire awe in their friends, colleagues, and family by choosing to e-mail positive articles over negative ones, and long, intellectually challenging articles over short and shocking ones. <br />&title=Study looks into what news articles you share and why ){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2010/02/ipad_changes_the_story_for_newspaper-sub.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="5634" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/ipadalone-thumb-200x115-5510-thumb-200x115-5511.jpg"><img alt="Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for ipadalone.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/02/ipadalone-thumb-200x115-5510-thumb-200x115-5511-thumb-200x115-5634.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="115" width="200" /></a></form>The launch of <b>Apple</b>'s <b>iPad </b>has garnered much optimism in the newspaper industry, driving hopes that the innovative tablet computer will be able to breathe some new life into an industry battered by an advertising downturn.<br /><br />Much speculation has placed very high hopes on the capacity of the iPad and a slew of new generation e-readers to revamp the industry and bolster its business model. But, <a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=177206">as <i>Poynter Online</i>'s <b>Bill Mitchell</b> reports</a>, the iPad will probably not be the solution to all of the newspapers' woes, but this sleek electronic device <i>could</i> play a substantial role in the migration of users from a cost-heavy past to a more efficient future. <br /> <iframe frameborder="0" name="mashlogic" style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; overflow: hidden; display: none; z-index: 9999; position: absolute; top: auto; right: auto; bottom: auto; left: auto;" id="mashlogic" src="about:blank"></iframe>&title=<b>iPad</b> changes the story for newspaper-subsidized e-readers){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2010/02/new_kindle_coming_amazon_said_to_buy_tou.php&bodytext=<form contenteditable="false" mt:asset-id="5469" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/amazon.jpg"><img alt="amazon.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/amazon-thumb-200x116-5469.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="116" width="200" /></a></form>In what seems to be the latest move in the battle of the e-readers, <b>Amazon</b> has acquired <b>Touchco</b>, a start-up based in New York that specializes in touch screen technology, to possibly update its <b>Kindle</b> e-reader so it can better compete with <b>Apple</b>'s <b>iPad</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/technology/04amazon.html?src=tptw"><i>The New York Times</i> reports</a> that Amazon will merge Touchco's technology and staff members into its Kindle hardware division, <b>Lab126</b>, based in Cupertino, California, a source briefed on the deal said on Wednesday. <br />&title=New <b>Kindle</b> coming? <b>Amazon</b> said to buy touch screen tech start-up){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2010/01/us_study_shows_government_subsidies_to_m.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="5525" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/unclesammoney.gif"><img alt="unclesammoney.gif" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/unclesammoney-thumb-200x275-5525.gif" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" width="200" height="275" /></a></form>Newspapers have not only lost significant advertising revenue in the last couple of years, they have also been losing government support in the form of subsidies in the last forty years, concludes a new study by the <b>University of Southern California</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=176774">According to <i>Poynter</i></a>, a new study of historic subsidies and emerging trends tracks various tax breaks, reductions in postal subsidies first enacted in 1792, and upcoming cutbacks in public notices that government regulations have traditionally forced into American newspapers. The study provides valuable insight, if not clear-cut recommendations for print media to follow, about the thorny issue of government funding for media.<br /><br /> &title=US: Study shows government subsidies to media have declined){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/2010/01/how_old_media_hopes_for.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="5464" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/appleinvite-2.jpg"><img alt="appleinvite-2.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/appleinvite-2-thumb-200x159-5464.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="159" width="200" /></a></form>From dock connectors to web analytics to guessing the name of this elusive gadget, all speculation will reach its pinnacle when <b>Apple</b>'s widely anticipated tablet is finally unveiled at an event in San Francisco Wednesday. <br /><br />The much-hyped <i>iSlate</i> (the name of the actual device has not been confirmed) is rumored to have a sleek 10-inch color display and Wi-Fi capabilities allowing newspapers, magazines, and book publishers to deliver their products with an eye-catching design.<br /> <br /><br /> <div><br /></div><iframe name="mashlogic" style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; overflow: hidden; display: none; z-index: 9999; position: absolute; top: auto; right: auto; bottom: auto; left: auto;" id="mashlogic" src="about:blank" frameborder="0"></iframe>&title=<i>Before:</i> Will newspapers cash in on <b>Apple</b>'s tablet?){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2010/01/everyblock_launches_new_microlocal_notif.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="5272" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/everyblock%201.jpg"><img alt="everyblock 1.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/everyblock%201-thumb-200x38-5272.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" width="200" height="38" /></a></form><b>Everyblock</b> is betting on hyperlocal once again. <br /><br />Just this week, Everyblock announced the release of <b>Notify Your Neighbors</b>, a new service that will allow people to share updates of what is happening in their neighborhoods and on their blocks, <a href="http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=181387">as a press release from the company explained</a>.<br /><br />The newest addition to Everyblock's services will be available on <a href="http://www.everyblock.com/">everyblock.com</a> and as an application for the <b>iPhone</b> and <b>iPod touch</b>, too. The free application will allow consumers to send and receive updates from any location.<br /><br /> &title=<b>Everyblock</b> launches new microlocal notification service){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/2010/01/que_is_finally_here_plastic_logics_new_e.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="5263" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/misc/Screen%20shot%202010-01-08%20at%2012.31.12.png"><img alt="QUE plastic logic.png" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/Screen shot 2010-01-08 at 12.31.12-thumb-200x282-5263.png" width="200" height="282" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form><div><b>Plastic Logic</b> launched its long-awaited e-reader yesterday at the <a href="http://www.cesweb.org/"><b>Consumer Electronics Show i</b></a>n Las Vegas. <b><a href="http://www.que.com/">QUE</a></b>, described in <a href="http://www.plasticlogic.com/news/pr_introque_jan072010.php">a press release</a> as "the world's first proReader" is a large screen product aimed at business people. For now, it is only available in the US, shipping in April, and there were no details about dates for launches in other countries.</div><div><br /></div><div>The e-reader measures 8.5 by 11 inches and has a touch-screen 10.7 inch display. It is plastic, and therefore lighter and possibly more durable than a glass screen. Two models are available: 4GB and 8GB. Digital books are being supplied by <b>Barnes and Noble</b>, but selling books is not its primary goal. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is very much being marketed at business people rather than leisure readers. The press release quotes Plastic Logic CEO <b>Richard Archuleta</b> who said that "mobile professionals can look forward to a paperless briefcase, a lighter load and a better way to work." It supports reading and annotating documents, and also features a calendar that can import appointments from its owner's computer. It can even display emails, and Plastic Logic will have an app for <b>BlackBerry</b> phones so that users can wirelessly sync content from their phones, <a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/plastic-logic-launch">according to <i>Wired</i>.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>PC World</b>, whose reporter was at the show, <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/186224/ces_plastic_logics_que_ereader_revealed.html">described the QUE's interface as "much richer" than those of current products</a>. "It feels a bit less like an electronic book, and a little more like a computing device that happens to be focused around reading." Its homepage seems to be aimed at more than just reading. </div><div><br /></div><div>Its price is also definitely targeted at professionals: the QUE will be expensive compared to other e-readers on the market: the 4GB version, with wi-fi, USB and Bluetooth, is priced at $649 and the 8GB version, which also includes AT&T wireless, is $799. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-Reading-Display-Generation/dp/B0015TG12Q/ref=kinww_ddp"><b>Amazon's Kindle DX</b></a>, in comparison, is $489, <b>Barnes and Noble's</b> <b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/">Nook</a></b> is $259, <b><a href="http://www.sony.co.uk/product/rd-reader-ebook/prs-600">Sony's Reader Touch</a></b> is about $299. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>So what's in it for newspapers?</b></div><div><br /></div><form mt:asset-id="5265" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/misc/Screen%20shot%202010-01-08%20at%2012.36.35.png"><img alt="QUE 2.png" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2010/01/Screen shot 2010-01-08 at 12.36.35-thumb-175x259-5265.png" width="175" height="259" class="mt-image-right" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 20px 20px;" /></a></form><div>Plastic Logic has sought to present itself as a suitable strategic partner for newspapers for some time. <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/2009/03/e-readers_can_plastic_logic_bring_in_e-r.php">In an interview in March last year</a>, <b>Daren Benzi</b>, Plastic Logic VP for business development, told the EW that "newspapers and magazines really are our core focus" and suggested that publications might also be able to bring in advertising revenue from the device. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday the company announced that, using its <b>truVue</b> technology, the QUE "enables newspapers, magazines, and other types of content to have a richer reading experience that is symbolic of their print editions, complete with photos and formatting." The press release quoted <b>Dave Hunke</b>, president and publisher of <i>USA Today</i>, who said that "it's really exciting that there is an eReader platform that delivers our content the way it's supposed to look and feel." PC World's reporter confirmed that USA Today on the QUE "preserved a USA Today-like personality," and said that the truVue formatting "looks like a big improvement on the drab, text-only presentation on the Kindle and Nook."</div><div><br /></div><div>And several newspapers seem to have been convinced that getting their product on the QUE would be a good move. New content partners announced include the <i>Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bee, Miami Herald, Oakland Tribune, Huffington Post, ProPublica</i> and <i>The Sporting News Today, Barron's, Fast Company</i> and <i>Forbes</i>. These publications join previously announced strategic partnerships with USA Today, the <i>Financial Times, Detroit Free Press</i> and the<i> Detroit News</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The press release states that publications are available on the QUE store for one-time use or as an ongoing subscription.<a href="http://que.barnesandnoble.com/categories/news/"> A subscription to the New York Times costs $24.99 per month, the Washington Post is $11.99, and the Chicago Tribune and LA Times are both $9.99, for example</a>. Obviously a big question for newspapers is the revenue split: how much of this amount actually goes to the publisher. <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/05/kindle_just_another_way_for_papers_to_lo.php">It has become well-known that the split on the Amazon-reader is not particularly favourable</a>, with the publisher only receiving about 30%. Though exact figure have not been released, it has been suggested that Sony offers a better deal on its e-reading devices, and several publishers recently signed on. </div><div><br /></div><div>The eReader market is undoubtedly expanding, with <b>Samsung</b> also launching e-reader products at the CES, and the <b><a href="http://www.skiff.com/index.html">Skiff</a></b> made a preview appearance. It sounds as if the QUE is offering a high quality device that compares favourably to its rivals (<a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2010/01/new_e-reader_skiff_unveiled.php">although Skiff might turn out to be a good competitor</a>). For newspapers, the fact that their products will be presented in a format that is more similar to their print edition is likely to be appealing, as is the fact that it allows for updates to the display page throughout the day as a newspaper that updates itself. The revenue split and potential for advertising are equally crucial, however, and these are as yet unknown to the public. </div><div><br /></div><div>The pricing of the device is likely to be prohibitive for many and therefore it is likely that the QUE will indeed be a niche device for successful professionals, providing a smaller, though desirable, market for publishers. Of course, there is also<a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/analysis/2010/01/what_tablets_could_mean_for_newspapers.php"> the looming threat of tablet computers</a>, which with increased functionality and not hugely higher price tags, might soon provide some serious competition. </div> &title=<b>QUE</b> is finally here: <b>Plastic Logic's</b> new e-reader){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2009/12/the_wall_street_journal_two_years_after.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4986" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/murdochWSJ.jpg"><img alt="murdochWSJ.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/murdochWSJ-thumb-300x207-4986.jpg" width="300" height="207" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>Sunday was the second anniversary of <b>Murdoch</b>'s purchase of <b><i>The Wall Street Journal</i></b>, an event that many press and journalism experts decried as sullying the hallowed status of the respected paper. <div><br /></div><div>But two years later the <i>WSJ</i> is still going strong with high circulation and one of the most successful paywall schemes on the web, ensuring a strong future in the digital age.
</div><div><br /></div>Under Murdoch's leadership, the <i>Journal</i> has turned away from business-only analytical focus and towards broader general interest stories and politics with big front-page photos. &title=The <i><b>Wall Street Journal</i></b> two years after <b>Murdoch</b>){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/12/mcsweeneys_looks_to_save_print_320_page.php&bodytext=<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><form mt:asset-id="4908" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/SFPanoramaMasthead.gif"><img alt="SFPanoramaMasthead.gif" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/SFPanoramaMasthead-thumb-250x71-4908.gif" width="250" height="71" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>The</span><b> San Francisco Panorama</b></i>, also known as the the 33rd edition of <i><b>McSweeney's Quarterly</b></i>, was released yesterday. The 320 pages of full color comes complete with investigative reporting, comics, a book section, posters, and a 16$ price tag. <br /><br />
According to media wonderchild and <i>McSweeney's</i> editor <b>Dave Eggers</b>, the quarterly chose to make a newspaper from scratch for its newest issue to "demonstrate the many things that newspapers can do uniquely well, and how necessary they are to a thriving democracy." <br /><br /><i>
McSweeney's</i> collaborated with over 150 freelance writers, designers, and artists. The <i>Panorama</i> includes contributions by<b> Stephen King</b>, <b>Miranda July</b>, <b>Junot Diaz</b>, <b>Chimamanda Adichie</b>, and <b>Art Spiegelman</b>.<br />&title=<b><i>McSweeney's</b></i> looks to save print; 320 page newspaper results){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/12/googles_living_stories_organises_article.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4904" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/screenshots/google%20living%20ss1.png"><img alt="google living ss1.png" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/google living ss1-thumb-250x151-4904.png" width="250" height="151" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form><div>The latest news-related product to emerge in <b>Google Labs</b> is '<b><a href="http://livingstories.googlelabs.com/">Living Stories</a></b>,' described by the company as "news, made for the web." The idea is that "complete coverage of an on-going story is gathered together and prioritized on one URL." The project is currently being tested with the <i>New York Times</i> and the <i>Washington Post.</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>Currently there are eight 'living stories' on Google Labs. Each story has a page headed with a title and a brief summary and features a timeline upon which each update to the story is marked. The different articles published on the story are listed from the newest down, so a reader can read all of them while staying within one page. On <a href="http://livingstories.googlelabs.com/lsps/climatechange#OVERVIEW:false,false,false,n,n,n:null;">the 'politics of global warming' page</a>, for example, there is also a pop up graphic which allows readers to listen to quotes on the subject from various authorities. </div><div><br /></div> &title=<b>Google's 'Living Stories'</b> organises articles by topic and follows their development){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/12/google_integrates_real-time_social_netwo.php&bodytext=<b><form mt:asset-id="4871" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/google-logo.jpg"><img alt="google-logo.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/google-logo-thumb-200x79-4871.jpg" width="200" height="79" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>Google</b> announced Monday that it will now be streaming updates from social networking sites in real time as search results. When a term is typed into a Google search, the lead result will now be a section of constantly updating social network, news site, and blog postings pertinent to the topic. <div><br /></div><div>This will allow users to get real-time results for the topic of their choice. <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/10/twitter_potential_for_journalists_can_be.php">Tips, news stories, and leads</a> will now be right at the touch of the Google Search button, updating themselves every few seconds. <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/11/newspapers_and_social_media_sites_what_w.php">This could be an invaluable tool for journalists</a> as well as the general public. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since <b>Twitter</b> and other social networking sites <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/11/extra_extra_twitter_develops_newspapers.php">have entered the news scene</a>, the way the general population gets its news has changed drastically. Twitter has now become an influential news source to many people; thus, it will only help in the spread of information to have tweets appear in Google search results. </div><div><br /></div>&title=<b>Google</b> integrates real-time social network updates into search results){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/12/murdochs_praise_of_future_journalism_vei.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4606" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/11/murdoch1f5lx-thumb-200x266-4303-thumb-200x266-4304.jpg"><img alt="Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for murdoch1f5lx.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/11/murdoch1f5lx-thumb-200x266-4303-thumb-200x266-4304-thumb-250x332-4606.jpg" width="220" height="312" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>In an article in <i><b>The Wall Street Journal</b></i>,<b> Rupert Murdoch</b> is optimistic about the future of journalism in this age of newspaper cutbacks and the overwhelming concerns with bottom-line budgets rather than quality journalism. <div><br /></div><div>Despite closures and scale backs, Murdoch reassures us that quality journalism faces a promising future because of the 'triumph of digital' rather than in spite of it. </div><div><br /></div><div>The greatest threats, he says, come from limited editorial vision, producers who don't fight for the readers, and the 'heavy hand of the government' that would overregulate and subsidize the industry. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is rather strange for the man who thinks he 'fights for the readers' by planning to force them to pay for something they've been getting for free for years. These remarks come right after Murdoch's appearance at the <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/12/us_federal_trade_commission_will_conside.php"><b>FTC</b> workshop</a> where it was announced that newspaper subsidies were a definite possibility and will be examined by the FTC.
</div>&title=<b>Murdoch</b>'s praise of future journalism veils paywalls){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/12/new_study_mass_paywall_shift_could_hold.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4816" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/o%26ologo.gif"><img alt="o&ologo.gif" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/o&ologo-thumb-150x66-4816.gif" width="150" height="66" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>Media consultancy group <b>Oliver and Ohlbaum</b> interviewed (not just polled) 2,600 UK adults in early November and concluded that paywalls alone would not improve newspapers finances, but a mixed strategy of micropayments and subscriptions would be necessary. <div><br /></div><div>The study suggested that erecting a massive paywall around all content for as little as £2 a month for national papers would not prove popular, especially if all papers did so at the same time. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is exactly the opposite of what many have suggested as the only way to make paywalls work: Put them up everywhere, so readers have few free alternatives thus must pay. What should be noted, however, is that this clash comes from the differing perspectives on the paywall problem; the O&O study looks at it from the public popularity point of view, while the advocates of simultaneous paywall creation are approaching it from a purely financial perspective.
</div>&title=New study: Mass paywall shift could hold perils for newspapers){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/world_newspaper_congress/2009/12/women_at_the_top_is_there_a_need_for_mor.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4800" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/womensgroup.jpg"><img alt="womensgroup.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/womensgroup-thumb-300x199-4800.jpg" width="300" height="199" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form><div>A group of female editors and media experts from India, Sri Lanka, Russia and South Africa discussed the issue of whether more women editors-in-chief would generate more readers at the <b><a href="http://www.wanindia2009.com">16th World Editors Forum. </a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Bachi Karkaria</b>, formerly with the <i>Times of India</i> and now an analyst of urban and social change and a media trainer, says that as an editor, she is totally against forms of gender-centric ideas. Journalism has too much emphasis on what is women issues and male issues, she said. Women issues consisting of housekeeping, entertainment and other light subjects and male issues consisting of heavier stories.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Glass ceilings are sometimes actually creations of men," she said.</div> &title=Women at the top: is there a need for more female editors-in-chief?){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/12/ap_sets_up_collaborative_facebook_page_t.php&bodytext=<div style="text-align: center;"><form mt:asset-id="4762" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/frontpage_picture.jpg"><img alt="frontpage_picture.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/frontpage_picture-thumb-500x73-4762.jpg" width="500" height="73" class="mt-image-center" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin: 0 auto 20px;" /></a></form></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />While covering the <a href="http://en.cop15.dk/">United Nations Climate Change Conference</a> in Copenhagen, the <i><b>Associated Press</b></i> will join forces with 10 other papers worldwide through <b>Facebook</b>. The <i>AP</i> announced a planned joint Facebook page today in a press release. The page, called <b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/TheClimatePool#/TheClimatePool?v=app_2347471856">The Climate Pool</a></b>, will feature a blog with contributions form all participating members. </div><div><br /></div><div>Joined by the <i>AP</i> will be <b><i>Agence France-Presse</i></b>, <b><i>ANP</i></b> of the Netherlands, <i><b>APA</b></i> of Austria, <b><i>APcom</i></b> of Italy, <i><b>Canadian Press</b></i>, <i><b>dpa</b></i> of Germany, <i><b>Kyodo</b></i> of Japan, <i><b>Lusa</b></i> of Portugal,<b><i> Press Association </i></b>of the United Kingdom and<i><b> RIA</b></i> of Russia. </div> &title=<b><i>AP</b></i> to participate in collaborative <b>Facebook</b> page to cover Copenhagen climate conference){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/12/the_future_is_e_paper.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4705" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/papier-electronique-4705.html" onclick="window.open('http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/papier-electronique-4705.html','popup','width=640,height=660,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/12/papier-electronique-thumb-250x257-4705.jpg" width="250" height="257" alt="papier-electronique.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="float: left; margin: 0 20px 20px 0;" /></a></form>On November 27th color electronic paper and quasi-flexible black and white e-paper made its French debut from <b><a href="http://www.tebaldo.com/">Tebaldo</a></b>, a trend observer and high-tech company, <a href="http://mediawatch.afp.com/?post/2009/11/27/Lavenir-cest-le-papier">AFP's MediaWatch reports</a>. <div><br /></div><div>"Spectacular! Impressive!" Beams the enthusiastic reporter covering the unveiling. While certainly technically remarkable, e-paper remains an experimental technology with, at the moment, only speculative uses; although an eReader with a rollable screen could be quite something. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tebaldo (which also does robots) presented A3, A4, A5 and A7 sized electronic paper models with different applications at the 13th edition of 'Meet Tobaldo' in Paris. This was the first time e-paper and its potential uses have been shown in France.
</div>&title=The future is (e) paper!){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2009/11/catalan_journalist_to_launch_factual_a_p.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4516" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/el%20periodismo%20no%20se%20vende.jpg"><img alt="el periodismo no se vende.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/11/el%20periodismo%20no%20se%20vende-thumb-180x57-4516.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="57" width="180" /></a></form><b>Arcadi Espada</b>, a Catalan journalist who has frequently questioned the future of print journalism, is preparing to launch a new online only, paid for news website under the name of <i><b>Factual.<br /><br /></b></i>The daily news site, which kicks off with a starting budget of 250, 000€ will charge its customers an annual fee of 50€ for access to unlimited content and is expected to officially go live on November 30, <a href="http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/11/17/comunicacion/1258470215.html">according to <i><b>El Mundo</b></i></a>. <br /><br /><br />&title=Catalan journalist to launch <b><i>Factual</b></i>: a paid for, online only, news website){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/11/huffington_vs_dopfner_the_paid_content_d.php&bodytext=Media heavyweights <a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2009/07/european_publishers_present_hamburg_decl-print.html"><b>Arianna Huffington</b></a> and <b>Mathias Döpfner</b> went head to head on Thursday in a debate concerning the future of paid content at <b>The Monaco Media Forum</b><b>,</b> the <b><i>Financial Times </i></b>has reported. <br /><br /><form contenteditable="false" mt:asset-id="4397" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/dopfner%20.jpg"><img alt="dopfner .jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/11/dopfner%20-thumb-200x149-4397.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="149" width="200" /></a></form><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2009/07/european_publishers_present_hamburg_decl-print.html">Döpfner, CEO of German media giant <b>Axel Springer,</b></a> opened the debate with a message of hope for traditional media: "I don't share the cultural pessimism that media is dying. I think it is the opposite." In its latest results, out this week, Axel Springer's German newspapers <br /><div><br /></div>
<div>
</div>bought in a tidy 25.4% profit margin. "If print is dying, this death feels pretty comfortable," Döpfner quipped. <br /> <div>
</div>&title=<b>Huffington</b> vs. <b>Döpfner</b>: The paid content debate rages on){kind=link}
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http://www.editorsweblog.org/multimedia/2009/11/universities_reject_kindle_as_unfriendly.php&bodytext=<form mt:asset-id="4376" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/kindle-DX1.jpg"><img alt="kindle-DX1.jpg" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/assets_c/2009/11/kindle-DX1-thumb-200x200-4376.jpg" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" width="200" height="200" /></a></form><div>Two American universities announced this week that they will be abandoning their plans to investigate further the possibility of <b>Amazon</b>'s <b>Kindles</b> replacing textbooks due to lack of accessibility to all students. The <b>University of Wisconsin-Madison</b> and <b>Syracuse University</b> both made their decisions due to the lack of universal access to the read aloud function of the Kindle. This makes the textbooks unusable to blind students as well as students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. </div><div><br /></div><div>The <b>National Federation for the Blind </b>commended the universities for their decisions. The Federation did acknowledge future potential in the devices, despite a current lack of universal access. </div> &title=Universities reject <b>Kindle</b> as unfriendly to blind students){kind=link}