Not totally fool

This picture on the left (click to enlarge) is a fake cover i have created for april's fool for TechCrunch France. I pretended a few days ago i would launch FranceCrunch a paper magazine out of TechCrunch France and added in the note plenty of details that would make it obvious it was an april's fool (like a paper version of tetris, a hack on how to install android with the iPhone....). I expected 100% of readers to get it right away

But i was wrong. at least 50% of reactions including of people that are very advanced internet pros were buying the story and really believed it. I received a lot of emails, skype messages, twits, facebook notes, ...to encourage, support and even try to find a way to collaborate (including from some famous journalists). And if you check the number of comments and trackbacks you will realize the subject fired a great conversation. I even had to write a complementary note to explain this would not happen and probably disappointed a few.

I then realized the idea was not totally stupid, although i think it does not make sense from an economical point of view. I think what made people really excited about the idea is the possibility to find blog content in newspapers. I don't know what is the right formula but here is maybe a free good idea: creating a magazine out of blog contents.

It sounds to me that people who love blogs (and there are many) wish to find the kind of voices they are now used to read everyday, but in news papers. Maybe this will inspire someone to do something out of it

ps: FYI an american startup called blogburst is already distributing blog posts in national papers but i think the idea can become more powerful

Comments

[Olivier Duprez alias ze kat]

I didn't read TC yesterday... I'm exhausted by April fool on serious blog/site/portal :o|

[victor]

I was disappointed too, as I blindly believed to franceCrunch.
I bought Netizen exactly 2 years ago.
http://www.antememoire.org/Netizen-n-1-Fevrier-2006_a202.html
It was a great magazine but with too few readers.
I'm not sure that FranceCrunch would convince enough reader to be distributed like traditional press. But maybe in another format during events like barcamps/opencoffee/whatever...

[raphael]

il y a toujours un problème de distribution.

[Aurel]

Neither stupid, nor new I guess.
Indeed some people had already the idea of publishing their "BEST OF" posts + comments in a Book. I personally would never buy a FranceCrunch because it is too professional for me even if I follow the blog. The posts seem to remain New only for a few days or hours after it is already an old story.

BTW, I thought you would comment that today.
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/30320.php?source=newsletter

[abhi the Website Solution Expert]

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