收費
可能是我開始在報紙寫專欄的關係，最近我特別留意報紙這行業的動向。在報紙寫他報，在香港本來是禁忌，通常只會有彈無讚，哪會在自己地盤吹捧敵人？但在鬼佬世界，實事求是評論對手的動作，甚為平常。
《金融時報》日前為《紐約時報》部分專欄作家的網上版要向讀者收費作評論分析，探討這份老牌大報能否仗幾位明星級專欄作家，殺出一條報紙網上版收費的成功血路。
這條報紙上網如何經營的老問題，眾說紛紜了幾年，相信再花多幾年坐在寫字辦公室，都不會傾出個未來，一定是「實踐是檢驗真理的唯一標準」之最佳實例。
何解？其他行業上網可能是相輔相成，為自己開拓新的財源。例如航空公司設立網上訂票預辦登機手續服務，可以省回成本兼增加客源；傳統書店踩入網上訂購，可以方便大忙人及海外讀者。類似例子，多不勝數。
報紙？搞這個網上版，是他媽的與自己爭生意—睇網就毋須買報紙，就是如此簡單。你們有幾多個是在公司看《蘋果》網上版而省回那六塊錢？報紙網上版如果要收錢，單是計算如何定價去拿捏兩邊讀者增減，已經是火箭工程。
所以，如果立定主意要搞網上版，第一天就要有預備長期蝕錢的狠勁，莫要妄想計算回本期，負擔不起就別要沾手。網上版是用來順應世界潮流和吸引年輕人，這是為將來報紙無紙化投資鋪路，並不如其他行業開拓客源節省成本。
《金融時報》分析《紐約時報》這收費計劃是否可行，陳腔濫調地說取決於讀者是否忠心及市面上有否其他素質相若的評論代替。《紐時》有名家「鬼佬張五常」Paul Krugman、「年老有成版沈旭暉」Thomas Friedman，只欠缺「漂亮女版原復生」Lucy Kellaway，如果《紐時》有本事把她從FT撬過檔，我買《紐時》網上版贏。
《信報》有點像《紐時》，全港沒有哪份報紙如《信報》一般靠專欄場，如果《紐時》這招實踐最後檢驗出一個真理來，值得模仿。
不過，正如《金融時報》所說，這招一出，專欄作家的網上博落要即時收檔，我那個原始博落到時唯有被收購。
33 comments:
I really hope HKEJ has online version. It would be very nice if HKEJ also provides archive dating back to 1973. A powerful search engine, which may be provided by Google, is a definite plus for all the loyal HKEJ readers.
And I am anxiouly awaiting the outcome of Timeselect and see if this business model would be adpoted by Hong Kong Economic Journal.
讚成孔兄及方兄的網上信報的意念，方便讀者，又可增加讀者群，廣告收入自然相應增加，但有幾點恴見：
1) 一年三百大元月費太少，做兩個交易的手續費都差不多，多兩三部都可以
2) 一個密碼可多人用，怎去防止？
3) 加搜尋功能，可尋找以往的新聞及評論，可以幫肋資料搜集，做分析很有用，我相信這服務另可收三百大元或以上
4) 信報提供全年或半年訂閱服務，另送網上信報，這可吸引更多長期讀者，網上信報讀者又不會影響報紙銷量
5) 專欄獎金(稿費另計)以點擊人數的多少釐定高低，可保持專欄質素，以方兄孔兄的受歡迎程度，必定收入大增
1) Strongly agree that HKEJ should have an online version.
2) BTW, you mentioned that for New York Times, there are star writers such as Thomas Friedman and Paul Krugman. I am just wondering, for Financial Times and Wall Street Journals, who are your recommended writers/columnists?
1) Agree with "Blackmoor". Wisesearch only provides newspaper info. up to 1998. It will be so fine if HKEJ can fill this gap.
2)Sometimes its hard to find a copy of HKEJ when you away from HK. It would be great if there is an internet version HKEJ.
- "2) 一個密碼可多人用，怎去防止？"
防不勝防，亦無謂防，除非像匯豐網上銀行用戶一樣要原號碼提有人再打一個由另一部機器產生的密碼上去
- 不如擔憂內地的 "大長城" 把網上信報隔離，訂左都睇唔到
- 孔和方兄同時這樣倡議，網上信報面世之日應不遠矣。林小姐亦應知網上信報對海外和內地讀者群的吸引力不少
- 若果網上信報依孔和方兄的建議實行並初見成效，不妨把信報月刊都上網
- "專欄獎金(稿費另計)以點擊人數的多少釐定高低" - 若方兄暗示會在網上貼雲妮的玉照，jam 爆信報的 server 都似
- 還是將這裡的精華先剪存要緊
信報報紙跟網上版在專欄內容上,必定要有some difference 才有吸引力.
又係借地方一用, 就係方兄個blog可唔可以改下個版面, 唔好一次過顯示所有的文章, 好減輕電腦loading的時間. Thanks
孔先生提及VOIP及後Skype時代,另The Economist今期亦提到mobile VOIP 的可能性及其對3G的影響。
請問孔先生和方先生應否對和黃重新評價。
星期三就有星期四五的預告
目標觀眾就是那些海外有收入, 年過四十之士, 是他們既只懂得滑鼠按按按, 又不太懂得尋找免費上載渠道, 又願意付錢(如有得罪之處請見諒). 只是這種特殊階層會不會隨著互聯網越普及而消失, 是另一層次的問題了.
I totally agree that HKEJ provides its online version, but there should be no difference between the daily version and the online version. Besides, 300 dollars is quite inexpensive for whole year and whole version of HKEJ. I can afford up to 500 dollars.
I have checked wisersearch and the fee is > $1000/per month just for financial news. It covers all papers but I'll not see the entire HKEJ. I live in Toronto and if I subscribe HKEJ, it is $6 CAD a day and it is not same day. There used to be unauthorized copy of Cho's and Lam's columns on the 'net. As a loyal fan, I felt guilty to read them. These illegal act will going on if there is no online version.
I will be so HAPPY to see an online version. Please have the entire paper as I like most columns especially the culture ones. HKEJ may be the only HK paper that does not cover stars news and it is so cool. Any search function is a bonus and can be an option with price.
會有PDA版本嗎？
但如果去過信報寫字樓，就知道是否可行。
搵林在木做啦，話晒都係IT人，都係自己人錢，計平些。
老友，是否有什麽苦哀內情，不如趨這個FOOD-COURT未被收購，告訴這裏的茶客。這樣對信報未來發展亦是有益的。
其實今日信報對孔兄及方兄的建議都有回應,看來好像暗示 .........
I strongly agree and support HKEJ to have an online version. I live in Australia, really love to read the full version of the paper rather rely on other to fax a few selected columns to me.
For overseas readers, subscription of Apple Daily is HKD778 for 12 months . $300 for HKEJ is really too low , should have a reasonable price for a quality paper. It's sensible for overseas reader to pay more .
若論信報地位和報格，絕對是華文報首位。但可借在資金和管理，仍像山寨廠。所以不能發圍，但同樣地正因為是山寨手法，可以不偏不倚報導新聞，如果好像經濟日報是有過多關係連結的話，很難做到這種報格級數。只會淪為喉舌報。
尋日要求方兄改動版面, 今天已經改動了, 真是十分感動. 這就是online版的好處, interactive, 回應快, 仲可以作少量的personalization, 作為你的長期讀者, 感覺很窩心.
Before going further, let's look at the offer structure made by WSJ. it gives free WSJ access to all subscribers of AWSJ and the duration for such eligibility is in line with their subscription of AWSJ. in short, it seems AWSJ is trying to promote subscribership and goodies is offered on WSJ..
Online newspaper has a technical problem on how to increase subscribership, as one subscriber could fill up many readers. i guess this could be part of the reasons why HKEJ stays without e-paper.
HKEJ could produce something unique online as a complementary to bring in more subcribers. Only by doing so, they can tell what kind of real demand out there, or to decide whether they can increase price later...
no matter how, i believe the substance decides subscription, be it with or without goodies.
Gillian
子午線旁的短文(相信是林小姐或林行止先生寫)點出隱憂 - 在其他網站不收一文也可看到「柱躉」專欄(當然是侵權上載)
如果信報就咁好似香港現時報紙一樣，把當日內容放上網，真係可以唔需要做，一定要做到有archive，有互動，有即時短訊新聞和專欄。但是資本投資不少。淨係起個CMS都唔係平。因為要做到可以和報紙和網上同時融合既話，才有錢搵。若果當佢分開搞。在成本和流程運作，都是極不利。
所以都係搞好報館既運作先。才作日後打算。
論媒體(報紙、電視)網站，cnn真係做得唔錯。
I could not stress less the importance of Google. Allow Google to crawl the HKEJ archive, then HKEJ will become the most important and _relevant_ Chinese newspaper in no time. Look at how Apple Daily and SCMP lock Google out making them totally _irrelevant_ on the Internet.
Capable CMS systems are a dime a dozen these days. Internet infrastructure is cheaper than ever. Do not think it's going to be too expensive for HKEJ to go online.
Forget about online discussion. It takes far too much effort to monitor for abuse.
Put me into Ms Lam's shoes, I would thown all my old contents already stored in electronic format online for free access. Make sure the URLs are sensible for easy linking to. This will create so much mojo, put HKEJonline to prominence and achieve top Google PageRank almost immediately. Put GoogleAd on every single web page for that big fat cheque from Google every month. Charge subscribers for access to the current issue so not to affect sales of the dead tree version and to serve the overseas readers.
Accept the fact that HKEJonline isn't going to make millions and billions for HKEJ. It will however create so much goodwill and added value to HKEJ, there is no reason not to do it.
CMS當然唔駛過千萬或者過百萬，但係幾十萬，或者十幾萬，信報都未必肯投資呢。
搞網上版，香港媒體實在比兩岸慢人半拍。
udn.com已做得有聲有色。
內地人民網更是咩都有。
反之香港都只是將當日報紙放上網。其他類型欠奉，雖則信報風格和本港報紙大有不同，但不要學港式媒體的短視方式。
但上面有說信報已經是「公有產」，就有點過份把一個強大的道德責任於林家身上。始終人家都是自己生意。
信報已經是「公有產」.....Tony兄的想法比共產黨還要共產...無論讀者如何看待信報都好,信報始終都只不過是一盤生意,把自己想當然的理想強於林家身上是否有點兒那個.林家投不投資信報網上版,我們讀者只能表達我們有這樣的需求,但是否實行還是由林家決定,不要忘記林先生除了寫得一手好文章,還是生意人.
tony:
i think maybe youlove too much this newspaper, so you over valued the lam's family. Just like those other guys say, maybe lam's family is only ordinary businessman.
七百八蚊一年海外訂閱的話，網上版冇紙冇delivery，成本應該輕好多，三百蚊一年差唔多。不過講就口爽，到要真金白銀付出時可能又另一回事。
原來讀者點？繼續買/訂報紙的話，使唔使比多三百蚊睇網上版？
信報上網，目標當然要做全球第一華文報，否則不如唔好做。
林家當然係生意人，不過只要「君子愛財，取之有道」，冇問題喎。
另外，繁簡体轉換一早已經唔係難題，可以參考維基百科中文版。
"《信報》有點像《紐時》"
信報薄，紐時厚；
信報係地區性報紙，紐時係全國性報章；
正體中文弱勢，英文仍然強勢。
「像」不是「完全一樣」，中文水平差就不要亂批評
I fully agree that HKEJ should have an online version. Since "(投資無國界)investment has no boundary", overseas readers like me who still have investments in HK should also be able to read HKEJ on a timely basis. Unfortunately, that is not the case so far. For example, I can only get HKEJ through a subscription service in Toronto, which costs me CAD3.25 a copy; besides, I don't get the copy everyday. As well, it is always at least three or four days late.
It will be very welcoming for having HKEJ online. The online version should include everything published in the paper, including advertisements (of course), and some value-added services like finding an old article in the archive. As an IT professional in the past, I would suggest that the online service must be able to handle lots of hits (because HKEJ is popular) and have perfect system availability, that is, 24 x 7 x 365. Because the initial setup cost for such a system is costly, I don't mind paying a bit more in the first year.
COPY From Apple Daily News (2005 Sep 27):
http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple_sub/art_main.cfm?sec_id=38167&art_id=5258795&showdate=20050927
香港 報 紙 之 中 ， 《 信 報 》 冇 網 上 版 ， 最 近 傳 出 消 息 ， 《 信 報 》 正 在 考 慮 。 呢 日 碰 到 退休 傳 媒 人 、 前 研 究 員 Ｃ ， 佢 年 紀 不 大 ， 仍 然 活 力 十 足 ， 每 日 到 中 央 圖 書 館 睇 齊 報 紙， 慳 番 唔 少 。 佢 話 香 港 公 立 圖 書 館 ， 服 務 一 流 ， 設 備 先 進 ， 在 內 讀 書 睇 報 紙 雜 誌 ， 簡 直 係 退 休 人 士 最 高 享 受 。 圖 書 館 上 慧 訊 網 （ Wisers ） ， 完 全 免 費 ， 所 以 搜 尋 資 料 十 分 容 易 。 佢 話 ： 「 《 信報 》 冇 網 上 版 ， 我 諗 出 一 個 方 法 ， 上 慧 訊 網 ， 打 『 信 報 』 ， 關 鍵 字 就 打 『 的 』 ， 你知 啦 ， 張 張 報 紙 ， 每 一 版 面 ， 每 一 篇 文 章 ， 都 一 定 有 一 個 『 的 』 字 ， 於 是 成 份 《 信報 》 ， 就 可 以 電 腦 睇 到 ， 《 信 報 》 上 唔 上 網 ， 與 我 無 關 ！ 」
左丁山
mcwriter@appledaily.com
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