give the 'net credit

I’m fully geeking out right now instead of grading papers. I’m following Apple’s live press conference on its new devices in tabs: Engadget refreshing every 30 seconds, Twitter following the trending topic #apple tablet, and Ustream playing a buggy like Webcast. Yes, I’m pretty excited about this, which is kind of odd for me. Normally, I’m not an early adopter of technology. Sure I talk about it a lot, but when it comes to actually supporting something with my hard earned dollars, I prefer (or am forced by the necessity of feeding my children) to wait. So much hype has surrounded today’s announcement of the Apple tablet computer, that we know now is dubbed the iPad, that I might make an exception. As a former newspaper editor and current journalism educator, I’d love to see the publishing industry thrive once again. Apple has often impressed me with its ability to inject new life into struggling media entities such as music distribution and mobile communication. Heck, I was even on board for AppleTV.

Even as I try to gain as much information about the device as I can,  I know I need to temper my expectations for the iPad. Yes, media companies, such as the New York Times, are already developing content for it. Yes, it gives publishers a chance to control and charge for their content once again. But this, like all revolutions, will take time Matt Buchanan of Gizmodo warns.

Point being, there’s a lot of stuff publishers have to figure out, from the big stuff to the little stuff. Apple hasn’t exactly sped up the process by giving them much to work with, either, but for one publisher that we know of—and maybe a couple we don’t. The tablet might change the digital word the way the iPod changed digital music. But it’ll take some time.

I whole-heartedly agree, and I’d like to expand on his premise. Not only will it take the industry a long time to adjust, I think it will take users a long time to adjust as well. Part of me wonders if enough people will be willing to adjust to make this the “savior” some are predicting. It has taken some time for Smartphones to dominate the cell phone market, even though they’ve been around a lot longer than people think.

Second, I don’t see any one other than the major news players jumping on the iPad bandwagon anytime soon. Like the iPhone, the iPad does not support Adobe Flash, which is the platform most developers use to online video. YouTube and the New York Times use it and have figured out a way to make their applications work on the iPad and iPhone. Why doesn’t Apple just make it standard? This would be a huge boon to companies who are already developing Flash applications on the Web. They could easily port them to the new device. It would also help those who use the iPad to visit their Web sites.

Finally, most media companies, especially the small ones, are just beginning to take advantage of the Web. Why force them to shift gears and develop for something else. At Missouri, I saw first how how vibrant the newspaper can be in an interactive PDF format, but I also know it took scores of students to convert one week’s worth of newspapers to an eEdition. It won’t be feasible for small news organizations, especially if they have to work around using Flash.

I’m betting Apple is already trying to solve these issues. The company seems responsive to their customers, and Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, has said many times he respects and would like to help the publishing industry. I was heartened by this comment in the New York Times:

“Steve believes in old media companies and wants them to do well,” said a person who has seen the device and is familiar with Apple’s marketing plan for it, but who did not want to be named because talking about it might alienate him from the company. “He believes democracy is hinged on a free press and that depends on there being a professional press.”

You cannot overestimate the importance of a free press in a democratic society. For it to work, however, the masses need access to information. I don’t see the iPad as a major step in democratizing information. In fact, the Times reports Jobs does not have a great track record in sharing control.

Media companies may have to swallow hard before tethering their futures to any high-tech company, let alone Apple. Many publishers believe their economic health depends on finding a direct line to their customers, and it is not clear whether Apple — and other aggregators of Internet content — will allow that.

To make developing iPad news applications feasible, media companies have to find ways to make the same information unavailable on the Web. This represents a step back for media companies, not a step forward. I hate to say it, but it might also represent a step back for democracy.

To be honest, I’m excited about the iPad. I’d love to get one and try out all the nifty news applications that will undoubtedly hit the market soon. What I’m really hoping the iPad does, however, is demonstrate that people are willing and ready to switch to digital delivery. Then other companies will get the hint and start developing less expensive and more open platforms to ensure news gets to as many people as possible. Devices like the iPad will have be as ubiquitous as paper for digital delivery to accomplish the democratic mission of journalism. I’m not saying they won’t be, but I’m not holding my breath either.

The Web still provides the best platform for news as the digital divide is shrinking every day. It offers a common, open-source platform nearly everyone can use without buying anything extra. Instead of focusing on the next big tech doohickey, the news industry must find ways to be platform-agnostic. Make information paramount, not the delivery system. Give people the ability to access news and information in any way they want, and I’m certain readers will respond.

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