News Corp Attempts to Compete With iPad

Rupert Murdoch and Co.'s offering is more print-media-centric than anything. news corp skiff e-reader

With the iPad enjoying the majority of the tablet PC industry mindshare, News Corp. wants a piece of the action. That's why the media company, which has taken an aggressive stance against online news portals like Google News, recently purchased Skiff LLC and its Skiff E-reader.

The Skiff E-reader is a flexible tablet that downloads content through Sprint's network, and is marketed as an e-reader capable of presenting content using the same layout common in many print newspapers and magazines today. The 11.5" reflective black-and-white display has a resolution of 1200 x 1600, promising generous visual real estate for texts, pictures, and most probably hyperlinks.

News Corp. has also invested in Journalism Online, an online retailer that specializes in providing access to content through the paid subscriptions. Clearly—through the emphasis on traditional print media layouts and subscriptions—Rupert Murdoch and co. are attempting to migrate their business model onto new platforms.

Will this approach work? Like anything else only time will tell, but News Corp.'s insistence on doing new things the old way may come back to bite them.

News Corporation Acquires Skiff, LLC; Makes Investment in Journalism Online, LLC