By: Lucia Moses Journal Communications, E.W. Scripps Latest Converts
Two more newspaper companies have joined Belo in being among the first
to adopt technology that will automatically link their print editions
to the Internet.
Journal Communications, parent of the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, and the E.W. Scripps Co., along with Belo, plan to give
readers hand-held scanners and devices from DigitalConvergence.com, a
Dallas-based software company.
When a device is plugged into a computer, readers can use the scanner
to jump from a bar code under a newspaper story or ad to more detailed
information about the story or product on the Web. The three companies
also will distribute software that will link their TV stations with
related Web content.
Similar technology is already in use at The Post and Courier in
Charleston, S.C.
'It's an easy-to-use mechanism,' said Pat Stiegman, editor of Journal
Interactive, the Web unit for the Journal Sentinel and its
sister community papers and TV and radio stations. 'I think people will
get used to the product very quickly. You don't have to memorize any
long Web addresses.'
Once the technology is in place, Journal Sentinel readers will
be able to go directly to accompanying multimedia news packages on the
paper's Web site, he said.
The technology is an answer for newspapers, which are trying to remain
relevant when people can get news and deep content on the Net. Beyond
that, the hope is to generate more revenue by charging advertisers
premium rates to run bar-coded ads. A classified real-estate ad could
jump to a photo of the home, or a movie ad could take readers to a
trailer, for example.
Belo is likely to be the first of the three to implement the
technology. In August, it expects to begin the rollout at its eight-
member newspaper group, led by The Dallas Morning News, and
broadcast group.
Journal Communications said it will start distributing scanners and
accompanying computer devices to the public later this year.
Scripps, which made a small, undisclosed investment in
DigitalConvergence.com, hasn't set a rollout date for its TV group and
newspapers, led by the Denver Rocky Mountain News, a spokesman
said.
Belo made a $37.5-million investment in DigitalConvergence.com, giving
it a 6% stake in the company, which it called its 'most significant
investment to date.' Executives demonstrated the scanners at a
gathering of investors and analysts in New York last week.
Edward Atorino of Wasserstein Perella Securities Inc., who attended the
meeting, called the investment 'very, very promising.'
Related story:
A SCANTASTIC WAY TO LINK PRINT, WEB (05/08/00)
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