Reasons why people like getting the e-edition on an iPad more than print

The following list is taken from Walter Hussman, Jr.’s, presentation at the 2020 Mega Conference. Winner of this year’s prestigious innovation award, and our hands-down favorite speaker, Hussman talked about lessons learned from converting 28,000 subscribers from print to digital by giving away iPads. 

One of the biggest takeaways is that even those who didn’t really want to make the move fell in love with the experience when they did. 

Here’s what they liked: 

1. You can use two fingers on a story to expand up the type. “They can take their reading glasses off. That’s why they love it.” 

2. Just tap on the headline and the audio version will read the story to you. This is enabled for every single article. “Sometimes you can’t focus to read. You are in a car,” he said, or washing the dishes. 

3. Photos and graphics are so much better. “There is no way we can get that kind of reproduction on paper.” 

4. Every image is in color. “I could do that in print too, for about $30 million.” 

5. It allows for multiple photos. “It’s a better way to tell the story. You can launch a video of the news.” For example, he said, they added video footage of a massive refinery fire in Corpus Cristy, it made for a better story. 

6.  It is Portable. “Portability is just as good as print. Plus, you can receive the paper anywhere, even here in Fort Worth [where the conference was]. Just download it from the app.” 

7. You can click on headlines to send by email or social media. “You used to have to take scissors and cut it out to share it.”

8. Store multiple copies of the newspaper. “With press reader (e-edition platform) you can store 60 issues. We did a survey and 40% of subscribers said they went back and looked at prior issues. When someone asks ‘Did you see that article the other day?’ now you can look.” 

9. Delivered super early. The iPad edition is available at 4 a.m. 

10. Delivered in your home. “You never go out in the ice and rain again. 

11. We give access to all of our archives. “Its included in the subscription.”