The mobile space is starting to get attention as syndicates and creators begin looking for new ways to monetize and expand their market. VentureDNA is launching ToonsWare on the Apple iTunes App Store partnering with Tribune Media Services to provide editorial cartoons.
Stewart Dixon, CEO of VentureDNA, hopes to do more than just deliver todayâ??s topical humor to mobile phones with ToonsWare, â??With ToonsWare, you can easily share your favorite political cartoons via e-mail to engage colleagues, friends and family in the latest issues, inspire debates or provide opinion by offering personal commenting and feedback for each cartoon through one easy-to-use mobile application.â?
The new app features syndicated cartoonists Chan Lowe, Dan Wasserman, Dana Summers, David Horsey, Dick Locher, Don Wright, Drew Sheneman, Jack Ohman, Matt Davies, Paul Conrad, Walt Handelsman and Wayne Stayskal.
The app costs $2.99 a month.
It’s becoming toon town ! great for the political cartoonists!
I don’t understand why companies like these are willing to invest in new applications but not in original content.
It will be fascinating to learn if people are willing to pay $2.99/month for editorial cartoons on their iPhone. If they do, I’ll be happily surprised and there will be a gold rush.
I was gonna say, “I don’t think many people are willing to pay $2.99/month for editorial cartoons on their iPhone, when they can see these cartoonists for free on Cagle.com.”
But now I’ve noticed they’re not there anymore.
But I did find some of those cartoonists’ work on their blogs, so no, I wouldn’t pay $36 a year for something I can get for free.
So the app is a mobile email system, wrapping cartoons that are specially prepared by TMS. And you will only be able to get Tribune content, until VentureDNA sets up biz deals with other syndicates. Nice biz model for all the players!
I think mobile is a great target outlet for content creators: miniaturized ‘toons for everyone on the go. This market will only continue to grow.
With ToonsWare you are doing more than viewing content, you’re actually sharing your opinion on it by rating and adding comments that others can see – so the social networking aspect is taken to a new level for people who like this content.
We’re excited to be supporting the cartoonists that are syndicated through TMS with this app and hope you support them too!
If you would like to be included in the app, or have an idea about one, let us know, we’re happy to chat with you!
I hope you keep us updated on how this experiment goes. I’m extremely skeptical, but it sounds like an interesting experiment.