With the introduction of The Daily, Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has expanded into uncharted territory. Never before has an online-only newspaper been available exclusively to iPad users who subscribe to it via Apple’s iTunes store. To some, today’s unveiling at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City represents a landmark moment in how Americans will consume information. To others, it is just the latest in a series of attempts to monetize online journalism in a world that has come to expect so much of its news and commentary for free.
As is the case with most product launches in the digital space, The Daily’s reality likely lies somewhere in the middle — short of the hype, but still possessing the potential to significantly alter the media landscape if it can tap into a growing tablet market that already represents a significant niche among American news consumers.
