That's good for the publishers...but I would be part of the 50% that wouldn't share my info!

It's about time they started waking up. In marketing, problems are opportunities. And if getting the consumer to provide critical data is a key problem then find creative solutions. There are many creative ways to get those other 50% of consumers to provide data, even if only in small chunks compiled over time. Like running contests and promotions, special offers, etc. etc.

So the publishers are all yelling about the whole 'you must ask them' rule cause they figure everyone will say no. But the people didn't.

They yell about the whole in app buying thing cause apparently everyone will jump to that over continuing to use the same website they have been using for the last X years. We'll see if that happens either. I'm betting not

The publishers wanted control that's why they're upset, and they still don't have control. That's why I believe they're still going to be upset, until they all go bankrupt. It will happen, because in the future, writers could just go to Apple's platform to publish their books without the middleman.

That was their main point of contention? Just goes to show what scumbags they are.

They're not happy to just make a good magazine, offer it for sale, and make a profit. No, that would be too honest.

Instead they will jump up and down and spit the dummy unless they can know how many cornflakes you have trodden in to the carpet.

In Apple we Trust!

Demographics are very important. All they're asking for is very general info. Age group, sex, location, income, etc.... Its how they make money.

I bought a New Yorker subscription for a year and opted in. I figured, "What the hell?" The have it everywhere else anyway.

The NY sub is excellent by the way. I like that I don't have to have stacks and stacks of the mag in my apt because I'm too lazy to throw it in recycling!

Writing's not as easy as you seem to think it is.

Ditto. Glad to see that we comprise 50% of the market. I completely stopped subscribing to magazines many years ago after I realized they were selling my personal info to other marketers.


Didn't they? It all depends on how it's portrayed. Imagine if the title of the article was: "Publishers Furious Over Losing 50% of Their Demographic Data", and they self-reported a doomsday scenario where they would all be out of business within 5-7 years. Seriously, 50% is literally a glass 1/2 empty vs. glass 1/2 full story, that can be emphasized whichever way you like.


Holy cow, I'm not sure what planet you come from, but here on Earth that's not "very general info", that's highly coveted, very personal info. Do you talk about your income with your all your new acquaintances? No? Then why on earth would you give that information to a corporation on the other side of the country that wants to use it to profile you for marketing purposes?! Your age? Address? Why??? Now in iOS the publishers only get name, email, zip code. But these guys aren't stupid, in many if not most cases, that's enough to put the rest of your profile together when matched with other data. Anyone who thinks otherwise is sadly naive.

Okay, all the griping aside, I'm glad they came to this agreement. It's apparent that 50% of the (early adopter) population doesn't give a flip about sharing personal info with random companies. Fine. And now the rest of us don't have to do that, and we can all happily have access to quality digital media at a reasonable price. Rah.