Some of the biggest magazine and newspaper publishers in the U.S. are looking for alternatives to the Amazon Kindle e-reader. They were hoping the Kindle could plug one hole in their flagging industry.
The problem, they say, is that Amazon’s heavy hand controls pricing and stands between the publishers and their subscribers. And the lack of space on the electronic device makes advertising a challenge.
Hearst Corp., one of the nation’s biggest publishers, is leading the push for an alternative to the Kindle. This is despite the fact that Amazon might be coming out with a new, larger-screen version as soon as next week. Some large-scale publishers, including the New York Times, are said to be on board.
