PressReader

PressReader
Company typePrivate
IndustryComputer software
Founded1999; 25 years ago (1999) as Newspaper Direct
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
FounderAlexander Kroogman
HeadquartersVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Key people
Ruairí Doyle (CEO)
ServicesDigital newspaper & magazine publishing and distribution
Number of employees
500
Websitepressreader.com

PressReader is a digital newspaper distribution and technology company with headquarters in Vancouver, Canada and offices in Dublin, Ireland and Manila, Philippines.[1][2]

PressReader distributes digital versions of over 7,000 newspapers and magazines[3] in more than 60 languages[4] through its applications for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and various e-readers as well as its website, and operates digital editions of newspapers and magazines for publishers, including The New York Times, The Financial Times,[5] The Economist,[6] The Washington Post and The Globe and Mail.[7]

History

Founded in 1999 as NewspaperDirect, the company started as a service for printing physical copies of newspapers, aimed at travelers who wished to read their home newspaper while staying in a hotel abroad,[8] and launched a digital product in 2003.[7]

In 2013, the company rebranded as PressReader.[9]

In 2017, the company opened an office in Dublin, Ireland.[1]

In August 2019, the company acquired News360, makers of the News360 personalized news app and NativeAI, an audience intelligence product for news publishers.[10]

In 2022, PressReader announced the CEO succession. Ruairí Doyle was appointed chief executive officer; Alexander Kroogman transitioned to executive director.[11]

Products

PressReader

PressReader's eponymous product is an all-you-can-read newspaper and magazine subscription service, which costs $29.99 per month[3] and grants access to all of the titles in the company's library via PressReader apps and website. The company partners with various hotels, airlines, cafes and other businesses which sponsor access to the service for their customers.[12][13]

As of May 2019, PressReader has 12 million monthly active users.[14]

Branded editions

PressReader operates the digital editions of various newspapers and magazines on their websites and apps through a white-labeled platform called Branded Editions.[7]

Partnerships

In October 2023, The New York Times Company (NYT) and PressReader announced a new partnership to further expand NYT's global presence through PressReader's network of channel partners spanning over 150 countries. PressReader has become the exclusive distributor of The New York Times Company's digital news products and digital replica editions to hotels, airlines, cruise and ferry lines, and non-U.S. public libraries.[15]

In August 2023, PressReader announced an expanded partnership with Gannett – the largest newspaper publisher in the U.S. and owner of USA Today.[16]

In January 2023, PressReader became The Economist's exclusive digital distributor globally in public libraries, hotels, aviation, marine, and healthcare as part of an expansion of the two parties' strategic partnership. [17]

Cyber attack

On 3 March 2022 PressReader's web platform was blocked by a cyber attack and access to 7,000 publications, worldwide, was halted. The attack came just a few days after PressReader removed dozens of Russian newspapers from its catalogue. The company began to restore its services on 6 March.[18][19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Taylor, Charlie (November 16, 2017). "PressReader gains ground in Ireland as it officially opens Dublin office". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on Sep 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Kennedy, John (December 15, 2017). "PressReader's Alex Gruntsev: 'Make innovation a part of daily life'". Silicon Republic. Archived from the original on Sep 24, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Dreier, Troy (Apr 25, 2019). "PressReader puts 7,000 newspapers and magazines in your pocket | Logged On". NJ.com. Archived from the original on Jan 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Kirby, Mary (June 25, 2018). "Air Canada sees end date in sight for onboard newspapers". Runway Girl Network. Archived from the original on Oct 28, 2021.
  5. ^ Blinder, Mike (September 19, 2023). "Financial Times launches FT Digital Edition app". Editor and Publisher. Archived from the original on Dec 3, 2023.
  6. ^ de Villiers, Pierre (December 2, 2022). "PressReader and The Economist to build on successful partnership'". FIPP. Archived from the original on Feb 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Bula, Frances (June 25, 2014). "Richmond Company at the Fore of Digital Newspapers". BCBusiness. Archived from the original on Dec 23, 2022.
  8. ^ Kozlowski, Michael (December 8, 2012). "PressReader Leading the Digital Charge for Newspapers". Good e-Reader. Archived from the original on Mar 13, 2024.
  9. ^ Hebbard, D.B. (December 18, 2015). "Digital newsstand and eBook reader app updates released before the holiday break". Talking New Media. Archived from the original on Dec 23, 2022.
  10. ^ Ha, Anthony (August 20, 2019). "PressReader aims to add more personalization to its digital news platform by acquiring News360". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "PressReader announces CEO transition". Cision. Newswire. October 19, 2022. Archived from the original on Jan 27, 2024.
  12. ^ "Turkish Airlines offering passengers digital media perks". Daily Sabah. March 8, 2019. Archived from the original on Oct 10, 2023.
  13. ^ Shankar, Bradly (May 10, 2017). "Bell partners with PressReader to bring news stories to customers across Canada". Mobile Syrup. Archived from the original on Mar 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "FIPP's brand partnership with PressReader deepens". FIPP. May 8, 2019. Archived from the original on Aug 7, 2019.
  15. ^ Walters, Jez (October 5, 2023). "The New York Times and PressReader announce new agreement to drive global distribution and reach new audiences". Media Maker Meet. Archived from the original on Nov 12, 2023.
  16. ^ Xiong, Daisy (August 21, 2023). "B.C. 'Netflix for news' grows with global media deals". Business In Vancouver. Archived from the original on Oct 10, 2023.
  17. ^ Schultz, RAY (December 3, 2022). "The Economist' Seeks To Increase Digital Presence With PressReader Partnership". Media Post.
  18. ^ "Updates for users". PressReader.com. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  19. ^ Brown, Tamsin (5 March 2022). "Cyberattack blocks access to thousands of newspapers". EuroWeekly News.
  • Official website (in Arabic, Basque, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, Galician, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese)