• Neiman Journalism Lab et al., Monday, October 26, 2009 12:52 PM

The emergence of a fourth screen through which publishers can distribute subscription and/or ad-supported content is all but certain, according to an "off-the-record" speech given last week by Bill Keller, executive editor at The New York Times. "I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate," he said during an "internal chat," which was later posted online by the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard.

The remarks follow widespread rumors that The Times, along with various other magazine and textbook publishers, met with Apple earlier this year to discuss content partnerships for an imminent tablet device. Going where no Kindle or E-Ink device has so far gone, Apple's tablet ambitions include having publishers create "hybridized" content that draws from audio, video and interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers, where paper layouts would be static. With the help of iTunes, Apple could easily establish itself as key distributor of such next-generation print content.

Still, "Maybe [Keller] just reads other tech-related parts of the Internets, as well as the Times, believes the rumours [sic] and doesn't know anything we don't," writes Gawker. "But if the paper of record is engaged with Apple in developing the savior of journalism it seems hard to believe no-one would have informed the boss."

"Given that we've heard strong rumors that the Times is one of Apple's partners in developing content for the iTablet, and that Keller mentions the "slate" with confidence as if it's a real capital S product, these words carry some weight," remarked Fast Company. "There's even a further sprinkling of truthiness in that if any exec's going to have seen a prototype or worked on the design, it's certainly likely to be Keller: The e-book/e-newspaper market has long been suspected as one of Apple's main targets with the iTablet."

From the publisher side, The Times is not seen to be taking the lead on the future of the fourth screen. MediaMemo reported earlier this month that Time Inc. recently took it upon itself to float the idea of a Hulu for glossies, which would rely on an e-readers like Amazon's Kindle and Apple's rumored tablet.

Like Hulu -- originally a joint venture between News. Corp and NBC Universal -- the company that Time has is mind would operate independently from the publishers that invest in it, and create a digital storefront where consumers could purchase and manage their subscriptions, which would then be delivered to any device. The point is not to let gatekeepers like Apple and Amazon control the market.

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