Comments on: Ad-supported e-books and the New York Times http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:35:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mike B http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-654424 Mike B Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:21:46 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-654424 I am in love with the idea of ad supported books ESPECIALLY for academic publications. Make knowledge accessible for those who can't/won't pay for pristine margins. Would this not also further the aims of OLPC? I am in love with the idea of ad supported books ESPECIALLY for academic publications. Make knowledge accessible for those who can’t/won’t pay for pristine margins. Would this not also further the aims of OLPC?

]]> By: Matt M. http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-654045 Matt M. Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:49:13 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-654045 Here's a representation of an ebook device displaying Nytimes.com, serving up standard digital advertising model: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUvzDCeCjkM Here’s a representation of an ebook device displaying Nytimes.com, serving up standard digital advertising model:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUvzDCeCjkM

]]> By: Jon Jermey http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-654039 Jon Jermey Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:28:23 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-654039 I love ad-supported freesites. Why? Because my browser <a HREF="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865" rel="nofollow">blocks the ads</A> for me automatically. But when I check out Yahoo, for instance, from someone else's browser I get a very nasty shock. I suspect that ad-funded sites/eBooks will turn out the same way -- popular with users like me who are savvy enough to locate and install ad blockers, less popular with those who can't or won't. Whether the latter group will remain large and placid enough in the long term to make them work is open to doubt. I love ad-supported freesites. Why? Because my browser blocks the ads for me automatically. But when I check out Yahoo, for instance, from someone else’s browser I get a very nasty shock.

I suspect that ad-funded sites/eBooks will turn out the same way — popular with users like me who are savvy enough to locate and install ad blockers, less popular with those who can’t or won’t. Whether the latter group will remain large and placid enough in the long term to make them work is open to doubt.

]]> By: Cat Faber http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-653848 Cat Faber Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:12:06 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-653848 I think you're confusing two different audiences and activities. Books are one of the last sources of ad-free entertainment, and I think readers expect them to stay that way. I wouldn't pay a penny for an ebook with ads in it. Maybe you can make it work if the ebooks are free--but I find it hard to imagine that most advertisers are going to be willing to completely subsidize the cost of an e-book--especially if it isn't a big-name author with a guaranteed readership. Meanwhile, personally the absolute last thing I want is a book with ads flashing in the margins or cartwheeling across the text. And as for keeping it tasteful--yeah, right. Because the advertising industry is so, you know, tasteful. I'll buy my e-books on the Baen model--reasonable prices, multiple formats, DRM-free and without advertising. I think you’re confusing two different audiences and activities. Books are one of the last sources of ad-free entertainment, and I think readers expect them to stay that way.

I wouldn’t pay a penny for an ebook with ads in it. Maybe you can make it work if the ebooks are free–but I find it hard to imagine that most advertisers are going to be willing to completely subsidize the cost of an e-book–especially if it isn’t a big-name author with a guaranteed readership.

Meanwhile, personally the absolute last thing I want is a book with ads flashing in the margins or cartwheeling across the text. And as for keeping it tasteful–yeah, right. Because the advertising industry is so, you know, tasteful.

I’ll buy my e-books on the Baen model–reasonable prices, multiple formats, DRM-free and without advertising.

]]> By: Bill Monks http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-653830 Bill Monks Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:35:49 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-653830 http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,546599,00.html A news story from a few years back about Fay Wheldon receiving sponsorship for a novel she wrote. So why not novels supported with product placement, just like on TV. It could even be applied retrospectively with Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" sponsored by a pest control firm. http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,546599,00.html

A news story from a few years back about Fay Wheldon receiving sponsorship for a novel she wrote. So why not novels supported with product placement, just like on TV.

It could even be applied retrospectively with Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” sponsored by a pest control firm.

]]> By: laur http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/comment-page-1/#comment-653779 laur Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:36:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/blog/2007/12/11/ad-supported-e-books-and-the-new-york-times/#comment-653779 Ads between chapters? What for - cultural breaks? :) Ads between chapters? What for – cultural breaks? :)

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