Wikipedia Founder Says Apps, Not Paywalls, Could Save the News

Source: digg.com: Top News
Posted: 2010-09-05 17:30:09

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said in an interview with the Associated Press yesterday that paid apps like those found on the iPhone, Android and iPad could help financially troubled news organizations, but he didnt have anything positive to say about charging for content on the web.On the other hand, hes not optimistic about other micropayment plans wherein publications would charge users to access individual articles because at present there is not a centralized and widespread payment system as there is with Apples services (iTunes, iBooks and the App Store) or the Android Market.If I just click on my iPad, and its billed on my normal bill, that micropayment model makes it possible for people to have an impulse purchase, he said. Apple already has his payment information from the get go, and the creator of each app can use Apples billing system for in-app purchases.Thats one of the reasons Wales believes app stores could be beneficial for the news industry. The apps model the iPad app, the Kindle does provide new and interesting opportunities for newspapers.Weve heard rumors in the past that Google has a unified micropayments system in the works that could do the same for desktop content, but it hasnt happened yet.Wikipedia is not a commercial enterprise, but Waless current venture Wikia is ad-supported.Image courtesy of iStockphoto, enot-poloskunMore About: amazon, android, apple, apps, interview, ipad, iphone, Jimmy Wales, journalism, Kindle, monetization, News, paywalls, Wikia, wikipediaFor more Social Media coverage:Follow Mashable Social Media on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Media channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad