#Podcast – Tumblr lessons from NME and The Times

News outlets have been experimenting with Tumblr blogs for the past two or three years.

One of the first to try a Tumblr was Newsweek. In 2008 the title’s projects editor, Mark Coatney, was attracted by the average age of Tumblr users being 24; at that time the average age of the Newsweek reader was 57.

Two years ago Tumblr offered Coatney a job and he became the platform’s media outreach director.

In this podcast we hear from Coatney and we find out how NME, which launched a Tumblr blog a year ago, and The Times, which a month ago started an “experimental” Tumblr blog to showcase picks from its opinion columnists, are using Tumblr.

Tumblr and the two titles share their seven tips for news outlets tempted to try a Tumblr blog.

This podcast hears from:

• Mark Coatney, media outreach director, Tumblr
• Luke Lewis, editor, NME.com
• James Dean, online opinion editor, The Times

Podcast: Download

It’s worth noting that the NME was named “website of the year” and won an award for the best use of social media at last night’s AOP awards.

You can hear future podcasts by signing up to the Journalism.co.uk iTunes podcast feed.

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Media release: NME magazine to launch in India

Consumer magazine publisher IPC Media has signed a partnership deal with an Indian publisher to launch a local version of NME online and in print.

www.nme.in will contain content tailored to the Indian music scene and a dedicated Indian edition of the magazine will follow.

NME publishing director Emily Hutchins said in a release:

“NME has a strong presence in India, but with such a vibrant music scene and such passionate music lovers it would be madness not to provide the country with their own edition of the magazine and 24/7 music news online. NME in India will be tailored to India’s favourite home-grown artists as well as featuring the very best from the UK and beyond. It’s a very exciting time for the NME brand.”

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NME launches new paid-for iPhone app

NME has launched a new application for the iPhone – at 59p a download.

The application will offer users ‘iconic images’ from the magazine and photos from the app can also be bought. The bought images can be uploaded to Facebook or saved to your mobile, a release from publisher IPC explained.

The application has been developed by Umee using their Umee Mobile for iPhone platform.

NME recently launched another app for iPhone, the NME Radio app, which enabled users to purchase and download songs as they are played on the station.

Today’s launch follows recent iPhone app releases by several publishers. The Financial Times launched its iPhone app in July. It provided registered users with access to 10 articles a month and access for paying subscribers to more articles and market tracking tools.

Related reading on Journalism.co.uk: ‘iPhone apps: To charge or not to charge?’

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NME to produce a free online version of its magazine

NME has teamed up with John Menzies Digital to launch an online version of the popular music magazine, it was announced in a release today.

Online subscribers will receive a free, digital copy of the full magazine by email ‘every week in the run up to festival season’. The campaign aims to target 15-24 year olds who visit the website but do not buy the print version. After the initial offer, readers will pay to receive the email version.

The move builds on the success of NME.com and will deliver the product to an audience that is ‘currently missing out’, NME publishing director, Paul Cheal, said in the release.

“By working with John Menzies Digital, we can get NME – and all it has to offer in print – to a core group of music fans, as well as offer significant added value to advertisers at no additional cost,” Cheal added.

John Menzies Digital launched last summer and offers a range of paid-for magazines for download.

“NME is a huge brand in the music market and one that we are very excited to be working with, Sarah Clegg, John Menzies Digital managing director, said in the release.

“Through this unique initiative with NME we will be able to demonstrate the value of digital content and delivery to consumers who decide to access NME’s print edition via our digital platform. We look forward to seeing the positive impact created through offering the magazine via this new channel,” she said.

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