October 10, 2011 – Up to 50 college publishers will be able to use an e-commerce platform that helps them collect donations and subscription revenue through a collaboration between Press+, an e-commerce service of the RR Donnelley CustomPoint Solutions Group, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Knight Foundation will cover the set-up fees for up to the next 50 college publications to sign up on Press+, allowing them to install a “meter” on their websites through which they can collect donations and/or subscription fees from readers who want to show their support.

Press+ is a payment platform that enables digital news publishers to collect revenue from online readers. The Press+ metered approach is used by local, national, and international newspapers, magazines, and online-only news sites. It has expanded its technology to college publications, providing students with a sustainable way to target parents, alumni, and other engaged readers for donations or subscriptions. Several college newspapers, for example, are soliciting donations online using the Press+ service only to solicit donations or subscriptions from people accessing the websites from outside the college community.

“College newspapers in the digital age no longer need to lag behind what the news industry is doing,” said Eric Newton, senior adviser to the president at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. “Keeping up with the latest software — and even finding ways to invent some of their own — are things the best journalism schools and college papers now aspire to.”

Last year, Knight collaborated with Press+ to help the foundation’s non-profit news grantees launch metered platforms on their websites.

“The student journalists running college newspapers who hope to have a career in journalism are very aware that the traditional model is broken — advertising is simply not going to pay as much of the expense of newsrooms as it once did, especially for newspapers and magazines,” Press+ co-founder Gordon Crovitz said. “This generation needs to find new revenue streams, including new ways to collect revenues from the readers who get the most value from access.”

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit KnightFoundation.org.

About RR Donnelley
RR Donnelley is a global provider of integrated communications. Founded more than 147 years ago, the company works collaboratively with more than 60,000 customers worldwide to develop custom communications solutions that reduce costs, enhance ROI and ensure compliance. RR Donnelley ’s Press+ enables web sites and other digital products to generate subscriptions, memberships or donations. Press+ allows publishers to collect payments for the online content they produce, typically using a “metered” approach, in which only the most engaged readers are asked to subscribe, become a member or make a donation. More information can be found at www.mypressplus.com.

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Contacts

• Knight Foundation Media Contact: Marc Fest Tel: 305-908-2600 E-mail: [email protected] 
• RR Donnelley Media Contact: Doug Fitzgerald Tel: 630-322-6830 E-mail:[email protected]