In the UK, for example,The Times and Sunday Times are structuring their new apps and website around peak traffic times
The papers, which are already behind a hard paywall,will be updated four times each day to correspond with peaks in readership.
Last week, The Times and Sunday Times launched new phone and tablet apps, and a new website, all focused on publishing online in editions that will be updated four times a day. The different editions for print, tablet, smartphone and web will appear as follows: early in the morning, followed by updates at 9 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m.
The editions will include the fast news as it happens, but also more analysis and in-depth.
Obviously, another example of content flowing strategically throughout the day, allowing readers who consult their mobile platforms often fresh material at key moments of the day, but also allowing for that sense of finality for the large numbers of readers who admit they are overwhelmed by the never-ending stream of content found online.
And a curious note: The Times' tablet edition seems to be quite successful. About 76,000 subscribers read the Times’ tablet apps Monday through Saturday, and about 95,000 people use the app on Sundays. On average, readers spend about 45 minutes with the Times’ tablet app on weekdays, and spend more than 65 minutes with it on Sundays.
