Scheduled to launch in Q4 2010, The New York Times’ Press Engine is a new digital platform that enables publishers and other media organizations to distribute content across mobile devices, including the Apple iPhone and iPad. The genesis of Press Engine was when other publishers, including The Dallas Morning News, asked for the code that the Times had used to develop its iPad/iPhone apps. Press Engine essentially offers the coding infrastructure of its apps, allowing other publishers to populate it with their own brand and content.
The Times’ move signals its belief (or, perhaps, hope) that tablet devices spells the way forward for monetizing newspapers. It’s also a savvy business move; publications that adopt Press Engine pay a one-time fee and an ongoing maintenance and licensing fees. The first customers of Press Engine include The Dallas Morning News (owned by A.H. Belo) and the Telegraph Media Group, which publishes the UK’s Daily Telegraph.
