Newspaper & Mailroom
The Dallas Morning News Announces Expansion of Digital Initiatives
Wednesday 05. January 2011 - The Dallas Morning News announced today several digital initiatives that will expand its portfolio of products and bolster its ability to deliver high-quality local content to diverse audiences and innovative solutions to advertisers. These initiatives will allow customers to access The News' content any time, any place and on multiple devices.
On January 18, 2011, The Dallas Morning News will launch a new iPad and an updated iPhone application. These applications will deliver incremental convenience, interactivity and value to readers, and new measurable solutions for advertisers. On that date, The News will also launch a new design and streamlined navigation for its flagship website, dallasnews.com.
“As we have been saying for some time, we’re much more than a newspaper company; we’re a news media company,” said CEO and publisher Jim Moroney. “These digital initiatives will enhance our ability to publish important news and information for our customers on the platform of their choice. The relevant, local content generated by our newsroom, one of the largest among metropolitan newspapers in the country, remains at the core of how we serve our readers and advertisers.”
On February 15, The Dallas Morning News will implement the next component of its premium pricing strategy and begin asking consumers to pay for online and mobile access to “Subscriber Content.” Subscriber Content is proprietary news and information developed by The News’ local news, sports and other journalists, which will be accessible only to paying print or digital subscribers. Headlines, blogs, obituaries, classifieds and non-proprietary content like syndicated wire stories will remain free.
Subscriber Content will be available to all readers during a free trial period, from January 18 through February 14.
Print subscribers of The Dallas Morning News will enjoy full access to digital and mobile platforms for the all-inclusive price of $33.95 per month. Other readers may subscribe to the digital and/or mobile package that best suits their needs. The comprehensive digital bundle, which includes the eEdition of The News and Subscriber Content on dallasnews.com, iPad and iPhone apps, will be available for $16.95 per month. Additional mobile platforms, such as Android and Blackberry, are in early stages of development and will launch later in the year.
“We are confident that we are opening a new avenue for growth by providing unique, relevant local content on the platforms readers want, and creating highly targeted opportunities for advertisers to reach consumers,” said John McKeon, president and general manager.
The Dallas Morning News will communicate about its robust digital approach through a comprehensive marketing campaign that will launch with preview ads in January and run through June 2011. The campaign will reinforce the position of The Dallas Morning News as more than just a newspaper with both consumers and advertisers. The new integrated campaign, called “The Next Generation,” will include newspaper, online, TV, social media, out-of-home and grassroots initiatives.