Close X
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

Postmedia Shuts Down Its Short-Lived Evening Tablet Edition To Focus On News App

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Oct, 2015 11:36 AM
    TORONTO — Postmedia is scrapping the short-lived evening tablet edition it hoped would help usher in the next wave of digital journalism.
     
    A spokeswoman for the media company confirmed that Wednesday evening would see the final editions of the digital experiment at the Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen and Montreal Gazette.
     
    "They're beautiful products and we're incredibly proud of how they look, but they didn't reach a critical mass of audience or advertisers," Phyllise Gelfand said in an interview.
     
    Tablet readers will be redirected to Postmedia's news app, which was recently revamped. The updated version works on both smartphones and tablets.
     
    Postmedia launched its first digital evening edition in May 2014 at the Citizen before expanding the project to other markets.
     
    The company boasted about its mix of the day's top stories and feature articles wrapped in a slick magazine-like layout with interactive components.
     
    The project was reminiscent of News Corp.'s failed The Daily, a subscription-based digital newspaper tailor-made for the iPad that launched in February 2011 and was shut down less than two years later.
     
    Canadian media companies have been grappling with the evolution of digital readership, trying out a raft of concepts to varying success.
     
    Postmedia's websites across the country operate on a metered paywall structure  similar to the business section of the Globe and Mail, which allows readers to access a set number of articles before they are asked to subscribe.
     
    The Toronto Star used the same type of model before scrapping the concept in favour of its Star Touch tablet edition, which is modelled after a similar edition of La Presse in Quebec.
     
    The French-Canadian market has responded so enthusiastically to the tablet edition that La Presse has announced plans to phase out its weekday print edition before next year.
     
    Postmedia found that its tablet edition appealed to "a very, very niche audience" that wanted to sit down for a 30- to 40-minute read of in-depth analysis and multimedia content, said Cole Reiken, vice-president of the company's digital businesses.
     
    "We're seeing growth ... in that always up-to-date, 'let me get in and let me get out' (reader)," he said.
     
    "We're streamlining our product portfolio to focus on that."
     
    Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.B) reports its fourth-quarter financial results on Friday.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Family Of Canadian Held In Indonesia Hopes Related Ruling Will Help Man's Case

    Family Of Canadian Held In Indonesia Hopes Related Ruling Will Help Man's Case
    The family of a Canadian teacher imprisoned in Indonesia on much criticized child-abuse convictions is hoping a related ruling from a court in the neighbouring country of Singapore will help his case.

    Family Of Canadian Held In Indonesia Hopes Related Ruling Will Help Man's Case

    Atheist United Church Minister Fighting Review That Could Lead To Firing

    Atheist United Church Minister Fighting Review That Could Lead To Firing
    TORONTO — An ordained United Church of Canada minister who believes in neither God nor Bible said Wednesday she is prepared to fight an unprecedented attempt to boot her from the pulpit for her beliefs.

    Atheist United Church Minister Fighting Review That Could Lead To Firing

    12 Soldiers Killed In Pakistan Helicopter Crash

    12 Soldiers Killed In Pakistan Helicopter Crash
    At least 12 soldiers were killed on Thursday when an army chopper crashed in Pakistan, officials said.

    12 Soldiers Killed In Pakistan Helicopter Crash

    B.C. Mill Owners, Operator To Review Ruling After Workers' Deaths In Blast

    B.C. Mill Owners, Operator To Review Ruling After Workers' Deaths In Blast
    A WorkSafeBC investigation revealed an accumulation of wood dust was a major factor in the disaster that also injured 19 other workers and flattened the mill.

    B.C. Mill Owners, Operator To Review Ruling After Workers' Deaths In Blast

    Bail Decision Thursday For Montreal Cabbie Who Allegedly Hit Men With His Car

    MONTREAL — A Montreal cabbie who faces seven charges for allegedly striking two people on purpose with his vehicle will find out Thursday whether he'll get bail.

    Bail Decision Thursday For Montreal Cabbie Who Allegedly Hit Men With His Car

    Political Leaders Spend Time Away From Campaign Trail To Prepare For Debate

    Political Leaders Spend Time Away From Campaign Trail To Prepare For Debate
    OTTAWA — On the eve of the first federal leaders' debate, Canada's campaign trail grew quiet Wednesday as the rivals prepared for their live four-way faceoff.

    Political Leaders Spend Time Away From Campaign Trail To Prepare For Debate