Yesterday, I read an article that said “More than one in five people in the UK who accessed news publications online in September did so only via mobile devices.” Each of the Mail Online, the Telegraph Media, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Independent, Newsquest, Johnston Press, The Sun and The Metro have more than a million online readers who aren’t coming in via PCs for a whole month.
Today’s newspapers have far higher proportion of readers accessing exclusively via mobiles and tablets. Therefore, we are proud to mention that our customer, the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, is making its way as a newspaper of the future. Laurens Verhagen, editor-in-chief of Volkskrant.nl, today gave a preview of their future mobile news platform. It’s a 24-hours changing concept with the qualities of a print newspaper, plus all advantages of the web.
Preview app: ten articles
of the next day’s newspaper
This year, readers of daily De Volkskrant (circulation 230.000) can engage with a preview app that is a selection of ten articles from the next day’s newspaper. This won’t be the latest news, of course, because news items are updated in real time. The articles will mainly provide background information and photos. The preview app is launched before the release of the new website, which will be ready in the beginning of 2014.
In addition to the preview app, De Volkskrant will also change its website. Laurens Verhagen mentions: “At the moment our website and newspaper are two different worlds. The new website will bring these worlds together.” Our news will be freely accessible, whereas background information, analyses, the cultural agenda and more will be paid for (for non-members).
For a detailed interview with Philippe Remarque, editor-in-chief of De Volkskrant,
please have a look at the Dutch video interview of Mediafacts.
What do you think the future will bring for digital newspapers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments and follow imgZine on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for more facts and insights.
