Google Program Lets Readers Pay a Buck a Month to Block Ads

Web publishers for 15 years have struggled with getting readers to pay for content they are accustomed to acquiring for free. Pay walls have been built and dismantled, print-and-digital packages have launched and often failed, but Google's going to see if viewers are happy to throw coins into the digital publisher's hat if they don't have to see those godforsaken ads. The Mountain View, Calif.-based tech giant is testing a program called Contributor by Google with 10 publishers, including The Onion, Imgur and Mashable, in which users can pay $1, $2 or $3 a month to not see ads. A "thank you" message will appear in place of the promos, and the user will pitch in pennies from their $1 to $3 allotment every time they visit one of the sites.  A Contributor by Google website went live yesterday, stating, "When you visit a participating website, part of your contribution goes to the creators of that site." It's unclear whether the system eliminates video and native ads. But if the program works for the test partners, more Web publishers are certain to follow. Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #native ads #digital publisher #mountain view

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Google Announces Subscription Service

Google announced today the creation of a service, Google One Pass, which will allow publishers to set their own prices and terms for the sale of digital content. Eric Schmidt introduced this new service at Humboldt University in Berlin. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OverDrive Library E-book Reader Now Optimized for IPad

OverDrive Media Console--the iPhone app that lets users check out and read ebooks from their local libraries--has been upgraded to a universal app optimized for... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Even $600 is too much for many gadget geeks to pay for Motorola XOOM

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews Late yesterday I asked: "Would you pay $600 for the Motorola XOOM tablet?" Whoa, did you respond. Reaction is mixed, but those of you who own Android phones, particularly Motorola models, are more likely to answer "Yes." However, plenty of readers still wouldn't pay $600... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google One Pass gives back what Apple's iPad subscription plan takes away

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews Well, that didn't take long. One day after Apple dropped its subscription plan bomb on suspicious publishers, Google officially countered with One Pass. Google strips out the onerous restrictions Apple imposes. It's a brilliant marketing response, and aptly timed with new... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More over-50s own e-readers than youngsters

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 17/02/2011 - 13:50 More people aged over 55 own e-readers than the younger generation, according to a new study on digital reading habits. Data released by research company OnePoll shows 6% of readers in the over-55 category–equivalent to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google Announces Payment System for Digital Content

A day after Apple stirred up online publishers with its digital subscription plan, Google announced a service that aims to be more publisher-friendly. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What About an Ad Wall?

Viewing ads in exchange for service could help monetize "occasionals" and "fly-bys"--which represent a much larger part of a publisher's audience than hard core users. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Bookshops to cease trading within a month

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 15/02/2011 - 17:04 All remaining 28 British Bookshops and Stationers stores will shut up shop within a month, unless a last-minute deal can be made with any interested parties. The programme of closure will begin over the next week, with around... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookBuddy Relaunches With Rating, Comments Added

The hype might suggest that many citizens of the iPhone-loving world have adopted ebooks for their literary needs, but Kimico is betting there are still plenty... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-reader market doubles over Christmas in the UK

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Wed, 09/02/2011 - 14:28 The e-reader market doubled over Christmas, according to statistics given out by the Publishers Association at its annual digital seminar. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dorchester Media Puts Entertainment, Select Romance Mag Assets on the Block

New York City-based Dorchester Media LLC is fielding offers for the assets of its Lifestyle Entertainment Teen Magazine and Romance Groups. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Asda unveils UK's cheapest ebook reader

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 07/02/2011 - 16:12 ASDA has launched the UK’s cheapest e-reader at £52. The View Quest Mediabox 5in Media Tablet went on sale today through its Asda Direct website. The Asda site does not sell ebooks with the supermarket chain instead... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Check Google Books data for errors, publishers warned

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 04/02/2011 - 09:01 Publishers are being warned to check their Google Books data online as thousands of titles have been mistakenly attributed to publisher BPR. Independent UK publisher Children’s Story Publishers spotted the mistake after its... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google shows off the graphical power of Android 3.0 Honeycomb

By Tim Conneally, Betanews At a special event in Mountain View, California Wednesday, search leader Google gave the first in-depth look at "Honeycomb," the tablet-specific version of the Android operating system. This is the biggest overhaul the platform has gotten since it debuted in 2008. The... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ASA drops W H Smith R&J book club ad complaint

Written By: Lisa Campbell A complaint against a W H Smith advert for the Richard and Judy Book Club has not been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. The television broadcast, promoting the husband-and wife team’s exclusive deal with W H Smith to run Richard and Judy’s Book Club,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Rejects Sony Reader App, Tightens Grip on Content Sales

Apple has reportedly rejected Sony's reader app from the App store for selling content within the app and letting customers make purchases outside the App store (such as within the Sony Reader Store, according to The New York Times. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Leahy Reintroduces Bill to Restore Reader Privacy Protections

One month before controversial portions of the USA Patriot Act are set to expire, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) last week reintroduced a reauthorization bill that would restore protections for reader privacy that were eliminated by the Act in 2001. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst pays €651m for Lagardère magazine business

Hearst Corporation has made a "binding offer" of €651m (£559m) for Lagardère's international magazine business, which includes a licensing agreement for fashion magazine Elle. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High Impact Ads on the Rise for MPA Members

While it may not apply to overall advertising budgets, "big" was in for individual ad pages that ran in MPA member magazines in 2010. According to data collected by MagazineRadar, high-impact ads that ran on heavy stock were up 19 percent in 2010 and the actual ad size increased as well: the... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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