Tablets breathe new life into newspaper industry

Several years ago, the newspaper industry seemed to be on its last leg as people turned to the internet to consume much of their information. But now, a Montreal Gazette report says, the rising popularity of the tablet computer has reinvigorated the market.

"[W]hen the iPad® came out two years ago, followed by a multitude of tablets, many hailed it as the shot in the arm newspapers needed," Jason Magder writes for the Gazette. "By creating their own applications, newspapers can once again do what they do best: create informational packages in an easy-to-read format."

Content consumption remains one of the most popular activities among tablet users, and newspapers can leverage this trend to reach new audiences. Former Knight Ridder executive Ken Doctor tells Magder that the release of the tablet computer couldn't have come at a better time for newspapers.

Now, Doctor says, newspaper publishers are using their tablet applications to draw in readers for digital and print subscriptions, giving them the boost they desperately need.

Tech research firm comScore delves deeper into the content consumption habits of tablet users in an April 2012 study. The company says 10-inch tablets experienced an average of 125 unique page views in February 2012, compared to 90 page views for 7-inch models.