The Virginian-Pilot
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NORFOLK
The Virginian-Pilot is now available to newspaper subscribers on the iPad.
"The main reason that we're doing this is to make The Pilot available to other mediums," said Danielle Rodier, The Pilot's circulation marketing manager. "It's really important for us to diversify how we get information out to the public."
Apple Inc. introduced the iPad in April. It's a computer tablet that can download books, periodicals, movies, music, games and other content from the Web. Rodier said Pilot executives hope to sign up with other electronic reading devices, too.
The Pilot, she said, is among the first local newspapers to have an iPad application. Apple did not respond to a phone message Monday.
Subscribers to The Pilot can get the newspaper on iPad for an extra $3 a month on the days covered by their subscriptions. They can see two versions: one that looks like the print version of the newspaper and another without ads.
People who don't subscribe to the newspaper's print version but want to read The Pilot on an iPad must sign up for an online ePilot subscription at $5 per month and then pay the $3 monthly iPad fee, Rodier said.
Rodier predicted that revenue would not be "significant," but would grow if the newspaper sells ads on the iPad. "We mostly think current subscribers will be interested in the mobility," she said.
Digby Solomon, the publisher of the Daily Press, said the Peninsula newspaper isn't available on the iPad. But the Daily Press offers free iPhone applications that are usable on it.
"The sticking point for us has been, Apple's business terms are very onerous," he said. "We want to be able to have more knowledge of who's using it."
Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com
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I have an iPad and I refuse
I have an iPad and I refuse to buy this. ePilot is free for subscribers and this should be too! I don't see why I should be charged 3 dollars extra a month for the pleasure of viewing the Pilot on a smaller screen than a regular computer. I have been considering cancelling my subscription considering how little time I have to read the paper and all of the BS stories that have been run on the front page. Stop pushing away your longtime subscribers Pilot. Make this free to subscribers or just get rid of it.
Insane business model
The major online outlets are looking for ways to extend their reach and thus increase their viewership and relevance. Mobile applications are certainly the proper way to accomplish those objectives. However, charging for the opportunity is absolutely ludicrous. I’d love to meet the person who sold this idea to the publisher.
I predict they will sell less than 30 subscriptions and most of those will leave within 45 days.
Worth $8 per month?
This is why this will fail. No one is going to pay for this service. They need to roll it out for free and get people using it. Once people use it, sell the ads to pay for it and make money. This is why the newspaper industry is dying.
Nook and Kindle
Hopefully we will see these options soon. I'd love to be able to get the Pilot on my Nook.
no way
Am I reading this right, I subscribe to the paper and to be able to read it on my Ipad im to pay an extra $3 a month. What genius thought this up.
While it would be nice to keep up with local news when im away there's no way i'll pay to do so. USA today, The NY times, NY post are all free to readon Ipad, what gives VA pilot?
Not completely free
While USA Today, NY Times, etc. have free apps, they only provide a truncated amount of articles for free and cost a similar amount per month to receive the entire paper on the ipad.
Man, there's a reason
right there to get an iPad.