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Philly papers offer Android tablets with paid apps
KATHY MATHESON
(The Associated Press)



07:50:08AM (DST) Tuesday,July 12,2011.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The city's two major newspapers said Monday that they will give heavily-discounted Android tablet computers to paid digital subscribers as part of a new venture designed to shore up readership and revenue nearly a year after the publications emerged from bankruptcy.

The pilot project slated for launch in late August will provide about 2,000 tablets to customers who buy long-term subscriptions to The Philadelphia Inquirer or Philadelphia Daily News, according to publisher Greg Osberg.

It's the first time a major U.S. media company will bundle its content with a device, said Osberg, who is also the CEO of Philadelphia Media Network, which owns the papers and their joint website philly.com.

"Somebody needed to step forward and stimulate this market," Osberg said. "There's going to be a tablet explosion in terms of consumer adoption and we wanted to be out in front and learn as much as we can as early as we can."

The initiative comes amid widespread declines in the newspaper industry, which for years has battled decreasing advertising and subscription revenue as readers consume more information online.

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* Good for Philly newspaper subscribers. *

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