Wowio to go global: Free ad-supported book site no longer to be U.S.-only

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By David Rothman

From Kurt Vonnegut classics to graphic novels, booklovers can find some of the best free reads on the Net at the ad-supported Wowio site. Problem is, it’s been a Yank-only service for copyright-related reasons.

But no more! Wowio has shut down for now but will return in July in its new global incarnation.

If you’re not already an account holder, you can sign up to be notified automatically when Wowio returns.

Some months ago, Tim O’Reilly and I debated whether ad-supported books could succeed. I don’t think that model’s right for most books, but some can get sufficient page views. Now, with Wowio going global, the model could have more of a chance to be tested, assuming that Wowio can find the right advertisers. It will be fascinating to see how much localization there is.

Also, how much of the support will come from actual ads and how much from goodwill-style sponsorships?

I’ll also be curious if Wowio starts to place more emphasis on sales rather than ads and sponsorships.

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