While at CNET News.com, I led some experiments in PDF production of online special reports. Multi-day reports are made available in PDF format, and placed behind registration regularly. We also tried selling some of these reports, with mixed success…but it wasn’t worth the effort.
So today’s news that the Guardian (UK) is going to offer a constantly updated printable edition, G24 caught my eye. Aimed at the commuter crowd, which I’m told in London (at least) commands a majority of the working world, I’ll be curious to see how many people print. I know I’d like it, even though I use my Treo to check out a few websites now and again. Paper is still easier on the eyes.
Additional irony, for me, is that BT will be the first sponsor of this new edition. I wonder which telecom product or service they will push to those sitting on the train? Mobile data or web surfing? Naahhhhh.
I’m also curious about two areas related to pagination. First, what will the advertising creative be? I would expect the Guardian and BT will avoid full-page ads… otherwise, that is the first page to be recycled, not read on the train or bus. Second, how will the copy flow for material written for the web? G24 will be produced every 15 minutes, according to the article, so I strongly doubt human intervention can be part of the process. I wonder what technical solution they’ve found to handle the differing lengths of material, or are they simply going to allow some white space? We shall see.
The tools to from online to print are sure to continue improving, even as the need fades. 😉