Jon Dee writes at thepunch.com.au (the News Ltd online site) on how magazines and newsagents could embrace the new Apple iPad:

A well-designed magazine will have life in it for quite a few years to come. But one has to ask how long they can continue in their current form. Publishers would do well to bring newsagents on board this push towards electronic magazines as downloading magazines with substantial video content could negatively affect people’s download plans.

One way to proceed is for electronic magazines to be sold inside a traditional magazine cover in newsagents. Nobody expects to be given content free in a newsagent and it would safeguard the publishing industry from Apple having too much control over distribution. It would also sell the new generation of electronic magazines via outlets where people traditionally buy their magazines. To that end, it would minimise the culture shock arising from a shift to the electronic alternative.

It is interesting (and welcome) to see Jon include newsagents in the conversation about the future.

Check out the Paper Less Alliance.

Paid Content has published a useful chart comparing eReaders including the new Apple iPad.

Based on the coverage by mainstream media here in Australia, the iPad is already a tipping point device – even though it and most other devices are yet to launch here.

It’s question well asked by Joe Zeff at his blog.  He suggests that publishers getting in now and bundling the iPad fre ‘free’ with a long-term subscription commitment are well positioned for the evolution of the device.

An article in Fast Company offers an excellent insight into how media is changing.  It’s about Katalyst, a company founded by Ashton Kutcher and business partner Jason Goldberg.  You’ll read about how they are using social media like Twitter and developing web based video content – with the backing of advertisers.

Now read about a speech made this week by Elizabeth Murdoch:

We in the TV business have to catch up with what our audience is doing. We can no longer afford to be one-screen business. Social networks are finally the interactive dimension of storytelling. We now need to evolve with our audience. To resist this would be like resisting Technicolor.

We’ve talked here before about Gen Y and how we are not seeing them as much as we would like in newsagencies.  The Fast Company article and the call to arms in Murdoch’s speech will provide an insight into why.

Since we are not content developers in newsagencies, this space is not for us.  Our job is to develop a better presence with products which need a bricks and mortar presence and to make the experience more enjoyable so that shoppers want to come back for a real life experience.