Wall Street Journal introduces News App on Facebook

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) launched an interesting new feauture newspaper on a Facebook application. Facebook users can comment on various articles and "like" and share the content.

Additionally, Facebook users can follow WSJ editors and therefore get a news overview in accordance with the editor’s preferences. Facebook users can also take on the role of ‘editor’. This may lead to a competitive edge to news consumption: the ‘editor’ with the most followers, is the first in the rankings.

For Facebook users, the application is free. This is remarkable because online readers of the WSJ have to pay to read the articles. Advertiser Dell announced that the service should remain free, at least in the first month. Perhaps after the first month Facebook users have to pay for the articles just like the online readers of the WSJ. Possibly, WSJ tries to hook readers to the application with a tempting offer for the first month. So, after the first month readers want to pay for the service.

In the Netherlands, a similar cooperation between a newspaper and a popular social networking platform has been set up this week. Newspaper Spits and networking site Hyves also signed an agreement to offer Spits’ articles for free through Hyves. Telegraaf Media Group (TMG) aquired Hyves and also owns Spits, so the agreement is a logical step. Through the new service on Hyves, videos and polls can be added to the Spits’ news content.

References: Mediafacts, Emerce.nl en Nu.nl

By: Karen Groen