How newspapers can create value through the digital devices
September 28, 2012 by marek.miller
Federico Vittadello (picture by Brie Logsdon)
Federico Vittadello, Mobile & Tablet Director, RCS MediaGroup, Corriera Della Serra, Italy was another speaker during the second day of the INMA 2012 European conference in Hague, Netherlands. He shared with the audience the digital strategy of Corriere Della Serra.
The introduction of tablets into the market created new opportunities for the media companies: new revenue streams and new audiences through “core publishing products”.
On the Italian market there is an estimated number of 2,25 million tablets (July 2012). The number of digital subscriptions sold on tablets in RCS is 80.000 (73,5% growth year to year).
Corriere started with the PDF (replica) viewer (adjusted for iPad, iPhone, PC, Android). This year they prepared a new native app for iPad only which was combined with PDF viewer (users can choose which version they prefer). They didn’t leave the PDF viewer because of ABC figures – didn’t want to lose the numbers of users.
Corriere has 2 editions:
- Digital edition – digital version of newspaper, PDF replica. Subscriptions prices are: 4,99 Euro/week, 19,99 Euro/month, and 179,99 Euro/year
- Mobile edition – online content adapted to mobile devices, browser version and application. Subscriptions prices are: 1,99 Euro/week, 4,99 Euro/month, and 44,99
They are addressing their product to digital generations as well. They offer:
- different home pages are prepared for different targets (older readers get a traditional home page, and digital natives – an opening in the form of a tagcloud)
- different browsing (one is typical menu, the other one is more graphical)
- different content
Corriere digital products are consumer centred. There is one account with multiple touchpoints: tablet, smartphone, e-reader, PC, print. By now, 94% of total active subscribers are registered in the RCS database.
So far the strategy is paying for Corriere:
- product satisfaction scores 8,2 (on a 0-10 scale)
- 25% are still buying print newspaper (buying the title through more than one channel)
- 81% already readers of other Corriere digital publications
Acquisition activities:
- promo free period with automatic conversion to subscription
- distribution agreement with telcoms and manufacturers and resellers
- app preloading – Samsung, Toshiba, Motorola, Asus with 1 month/year free for users
- Communication Activities: Digital PR, mobile advertising, free gadgets
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