Oklahoman circumvents iTunes store, keeps revenues

Posted by Damon Kiesow at 6:15 AM on Nov. 16, 2010

The Oklahoman launched a new iPad app last month, and Apple will not be getting the revenue it generates. Equally important, as David Thompson points out, the newspaper retains its direct relationship with every consumer who buys either a single copy or a subscription to the app's content.

Thompson, the president of OPUBCO Communications Group and publisher of The Oklahoman, explains in this edited e-mail interview how the newspaper developed the new app, how they are handling subscriptions and circumventing the iTunes store, and why a direct customer relationship is so critical.

Damon Kiesow: Can you briefly describe the features of the app?

David Thompson

David Thompson: The [current] version of the app contains the same editorial sections that you can find in the print edition. That includes the A-section, Metro-State, Sports, Business and Life. We also have separate pages for daily obituaries, death listings and legals, plus a special presentation for a daily weather report. We built in functionality for multimedia photo and video presentations within each article. The app also allows for offline reading, multiple navigation methods, horizontal and vertical presentations and archived editions for seven days.