E-Readers: The Next Generation of the Printed Page

By Roger Fidler

Newspaper publishers have long held an affinity for the concept of e-readers. In theory, the development and adoption of e-readers with a capacity to wirelessly access and display digital editions of newspapers would allow publishers to eliminate the production and distribution costs associated with their printed editions, which now account for more than half of most newspapers’ operating expenses.

Although no mainstream publishers are seriously considering giving e-readers to subscribers and shutting down their newspapers’ pressrooms and distribution networks now, the idea might not seem so farfetched in the near future if current trends continue.

For now, the e-reader still is widely perceived as an interesting idea whose time has not yet come. Few newspapers are experimenting with these mobile devices today, in large part because suitable e-readers have only recently entered the consumer market. None of the e-reader companies has disclosed its sales, so all estimates of the devices in use worldwide now are purely speculative.

E-readers are not expected to diffuse in the marketplace as rapidly as mobile music and video players. One reason articulated by Michael Rogers, The New York Times’ first Futurist-in-Residence, is “when the Apple iPod and similar mobile devices were introduced, people already understood and accepted the need for a separate player to listen to music or watch videos. That’s not the case with books and periodicals, which historically have had low-cost ‘built-in players’ in the form of ink on paper.”

That insight has not been lost on e-reader companies. Nearly all e-readers on the market today also can serve as music and audio book players, and several companies are planning to introduce e-readers that can function as mobile phones. The ability to communicate and listen to audio content might help to justify the cost of an e-reader, but most early adopters are likely to be serious readers who are attracted by the ability of these thin, lightweight devices to store a virtual library of books and periodicals that can be quickly accessed and comfortably read anytime, anywhere.

“The real market opportunity for delivering content to owners of dedicated reading devices is that customers of such devices consume a massive amount of content, far more than general mobile device users,” said Nick Bogaty, Adobe Systems’ Senior Business Development Manager for Digital Publishing.

Contrary to popular beliefs, e-readers also are not expected to completely replace paper. While e-readers might reduce consumption of pulp paper and might be more environmentally friendly, experts consulted for this article agreed that a strong attachment to the familiar tactile and tangible qualities of paper documents and publications is likely to persist for many more decades.

E-reader Timeline
The vision of reading digital editions of books, newspapers and magazines on mobile display devices dates back at least four decades. The first true e-readers entered the general consumer market just 10 years ago.

Note: This is not intended to be a complete list of companies known to be developing or manufacturing e-readers.

E-Reader Comparison
The three most popular e-readers today are the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and iRex iLiad. Each uses the electrophoretic technology, commonly referred to as the electronic paper display (EPD) or e-paper. The commercial development of EPDs began at the beginning of this decade as a collaboration between E Ink Corporation and Royal Philips Electronics.

• Amazon Kindle — Available in the United States since November 2007. The Kindle clearly benefits from its tight integration with Amazon’s well-established online bookstore and from Amazon’s decision to provide Kindle owners with free access to Sprint’s national high-speed (EVDO) data network. The ability to easily and quickly find, purchase, download and read digital editions of books, newspapers and magazines anytime, almost anywhere in the United States is a significant competitive advantage. Price: $359.

• Sony Reader — Available worldwide since September 2006; new model (PRS-505) introduced in October 2007. A PC is required to purchase books through the Sony eBook Store (Sony Connect). No access to newspapers or magazines at this time. Price: $300.

• iRex iLiad — Available worldwide since September 2006; Second Edition iLiad introduced in October 2007; iLiad Book Edition introduced in May 2008. A PC is required to purchase and download eBooks in the Mobipocket format. Several European newspapers are experimenting with direct delivery to the iLiad using iRex’s secure wireless service. (iRex Technologies is a spin-off of Royal Philips Electronics.) Price: $699 (iLiad Second Edition) and $599 (iLiad Book Edition).

Next Generation E-Readers
After nearly three decades of development, EPD technologies are finally becoming a viable alternative to pulp paper as a reading medium. In the next 10 years, EPD developers expect to see significant reductions in manufacturing costs along with improvements in display quality and performance.

Next-generation e-readers may also employ other emerging paper-like display technologies, such as cholesteric liquid crystal displays (ChLCD), electrowetting displays, organic light-emitting diodes ( OLED) and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

Executives at e-reader companies are understandably reluctant to discuss their timelines for introducing new products with enhanced features. However, experts consulted for this article generally acknowledged that devices with magazine-size displays, improved contrast, faster page turning without an obvious flicker, and reduced prices would be available soon, possibly even before the end of 2008.

The timetables for color and video are more problematic. Most believe next-generation e-readers with low-power, full-color reflective displays that have contrast and prices comparable to present gray-scale reflective displays will not be available before 2010. EPDs with a capacity to handle video have been demonstrated in laboratories, but they are unlikely to be installed in commercial e-readers before 2013.

Newspaper publishers often have envisioned the ultimate wireless e-reader as one with a full-color roll-up screen that, when unrolled, is close to the dimensions of printed newspaper pages. Steven Spielberg adopted a version of this concept for his 2002 science fiction film “Minority Report.” The obvious appeal to publishers of such devices is the capacity to present exact replicas of print editions, which would eliminate the expense of repackaging editorial and advertising content in a smaller digital format. It also has been presumed that subscribers would prefer to read electronic newspapers in the familiar print formats on large, flexible paper-like displays.

Ultra-thin, flexible electronic displays than can be rolled up have been demonstrated for more than 10 years in laboratories, such as the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University and the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The challenge has been the development of flexible electronics to drive the displays and render images, store and manage content, control reader input and navigation, and handle wireless communications, as well as the development of lightweight, flexible batteries to provide power. No one expects low-cost wireless e-readers with large, flexible paper-like displays to be introduced in the general consumer market anytime soon. (The Readius e-reader introduced by Polymer Vision in January has a 5-inch electronic paper display that rolls up inside a small case that also functions as a G3 cell phone.)

Moreover, the premise that people would prefer a broadsheet- or tabloid-size flexible e-reader that could be used only for reading newspapers (no other commonly read documents are as large as newspaper pages) is not well founded. One common reason people give for not liking printed newspapers is that their large formats make them unwieldy to read. Large flexible e-readers are likely to be just as unwieldy to read and navigate as paper.

The other premise that people would prefer exact replicas of printed newspaper pages also is not well founded. Many newspapers have been selling digital replica editions (also known as screen facsimile editions) online for a number of years, but none has attracted more than a few thousand subscribers. By the time it might be possible to purchase a large-format, flexible e-reader, the characteristics of traditional printed newspapers probably will be unfamiliar to the vast majority of people.

Repackaged Newspaper Editions for e-readers
The 6- to 8-inch black-and-white screens now used with e-readers limit the ability of newspapers to present digital editions with print-like layouts and display advertisements. The small audience also has discouraged publishers from investing resources in the development and production of digital editions designed exclusively for e-readers.

Consequently, nearly all newspapers currently available to download and read on e-readers use a simple one-column book-like format with few or no photos. The stories, which are sequentially organized in sections, are typically accessed from hyperlinked headline menus. In most cases, the production processes are fully automated and do not involve anyone in the newspapers’ editorial departments.

Kindle Daily Newspapers: Of the three leading e-readers in the market today, only the Amazon Kindle offers a selection of U.S. daily newspapers. As of June 30, Kindle owners could subscribe to or purchase single copies of 20 newspapers — 13 of which are U.S. newspapers that include The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. All are non-interactive, static snapshots of the newspapers’ editorial content delivered wirelessly once daily without advertising. The participating newspapers provide Amazon with their stories from a single edition, which Amazon automatically converts into its proprietary HTML-based, one-column format. (The Kindle does not support PDF.)

According to Robert Samuels, The New York Times director for mobile products, The Times is not planning to update the Kindle edition throughout the day, but Kindle owners can wirelessly access updated news stories on “The New York Times — Latest News” blog.

Newspaper subscriptions range from $5.99 to $14.99 per month. Single copies are sold for 49 to 99 cents, depending on the newspaper. Amazon collects payments through its online store and takes a percentage of the revenue to provide its array of services. No discounts are offered to print subscribers.
Under the terms of their contracts with Amazon, newspapers cannot reveal any specific details. However, Samuels volunteered, “The Times is pleased with the numbers so far and the growth rate is significant.” He also indicated, with some pride, that The Times had the most subscriptions of any newspaper available on the Kindle based on Amazon’s public ranking.

iLiad Daily Newspapers: Several European newspapers are now experimenting with wireless delivery of daily editions to iLiad eReaders using iRex Technologies’ high-speed service (iDS). Newspapers that partner with iRex retain direct ownership of their subscriptions and can offer subscribers a variety of options. Newspapers also are able to customize the design and typography of their digital editions.

In July, France Télécom announced that Le Monde and six other prominent French publications have agreed to join in an electronic newspaper project called “Read & Go.” The telecom company plans to give an Iliad e-reader to 120 customers who will use the device to wirelessly download and read the daily digital editions. Unlike the Kindle newspaper editions, the “Read & Go” editions will include advertising. At the conclusion of the test in September, participants will be asked how much they would be willing to pay for the service. If the test is successful, a commercial service could be launched next year, according to Paul-François Fournier, France Télécom’s senior vice-president for online advertising.

Les Echos, a Paris-based business newspaper, is providing updated editions several times each day. The newspaper’s online content is automatically converted into simple page-based PDF documents.

NRC Handelsblad, a leading Dutch newspaper, is producing digital editions that have a more print-like design. It currently offers three subscription options: 1) existing print subscribers can purchase an iLiad at a discounted price and get the digital edition for free; 2) people who already own an iLiad can subscribe to the digital edition for 189 Euros (an annual subscription to the printed newspaper is 245 Euros); 3) people who don’t subscribe to the printed newspaper and don’t own an iLiad can purchase an iLiad with a one-year subscription to the digital edition for 699 Euros ( the iLiad alone sells for 649 Euros in Europe).

Other Newspaper Products for E-Readers
E-readers with 10-inch or larger displays will allow newspapers to produce more compelling digital editions with multicolumn layouts, distinctive typography, informational graphics and photos, but the lack of color and interactivity undoubtedly will continue to deter advertisers. Publishers also are likely to remain reluctant to invest in the development and production of digital editions exclusively for e-readers until they are convinced the market is large enough to generate significant revenue.

Newspapers don’t have to wait for larger e-readers with full-color, interactive displays however. They could begin now to develop and produce digital news products that are optimized for e-readers, but also could be downloaded and comfortably read on other more numerous mobile devices, such as notebook and tablet computers.

Missourian eMprint Experiment: Field tests conducted by the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) in collaboration with the Columbia Missourian between March 2005 and May 2007 demonstrated that a market exists for digital newspapers editions designed for reading on mobile computer screens. The electronic media print (eMprint) model developed at RJI was optimized for presenting repackaged newspaper editions in a print-like format on e-readers with 10-inch or larger screens.

Nearly all of the approximately 5,000 people who participated in the field tests read the weekly eMprint editions on notebook computers. No suitable e-readers were available to use during the field tests; however, a small number of subscribers indicated that they used tablet PCs with 10-inch screens rotated in a document (portrait) orientation.

The Missourian eMprint editions included full-color display advertising, interactive graphics, reader feedback forms and embedded video/audio elements. Subscriptions were free but required registration. Advertisers paid to participate in the field tests.

RJI Digital Newsbooks: Another product developed at RJI called Digital Newsbooks also can be read comfortably on any mobile computer or e-reader with a PDF viewer. The RJI Digital Newsbooks are essentially downloadable eBooks with photos and information graphics. They are designed to provide newspaper publishers with a possible new source of revenue from their in-depth special reports.

Several members of the RJI Digital Publishing Alliance, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, are participating in the Digital Newsbook development project. In July, The Times began selling Digital Newsbooks produced at RJI through its online store.

“At The New York Times we're encouraging enterprising reporting efforts that result not just in one or several high-impact stories, but memorable series that run for a year or more. These efforts address subjects that will only grow more important with time, such as genetic testing, air pollution, the most deadly diseases and space exploration. What better way to extend the life and impact of these series than the Digital Newsbook,” said Glenn Kramon, The Times’ assistant managing editor for enterprise.

Roger Fidler is program director for digital publishing at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, where he coordinates digital publishing research and development projects and the RJI Digital Publishing Alliance, a member-supported initiative that includes The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times. More… 

First Published:
July 31, 2008