Media: The website is the #app

There are two basic models I’ve seen of media and entertainment companies using HTML5.

One model is to simply and easily create a whole new experience using web technologies. This could be re-packaging existing content, giving new life to archives, or just experimenting with a new format or media product. In my experience, Atlantic Records does really well here (more on them later)

The other model is to take the entire media property and create a single, multi-use app where the website, the mobile app, and the tablet app are all one entity. Here, the undisputed champ is the Boston Globe.

Their work is beautiful and has rightly been written up several times as an example of real thought-leadership in the melding of media and technology.

The website/web app uses advanced HTML5 capabilities such as off-line storage, so you can save and read an article later even if you’re not connected to the Internet.

Their responsive design is also a work of art as the website/web app easily scales from a desktop view all the way down to a mobile phone view.

Same app, same content, different views and different experiences depending on the device you’re using. And all done with HTML5.

Apparently The Boston Globe didn’t get the memo that it’s an app-only world when it comes to mobile. According to VP of digital products Jeff Moriarty,  the Globe’s website, Bostonglobe.com, is doing quite well on mobile with more than 30 percent of visitors coming to the site through a phone or tablet browser.

HTML5 is a newspaper’s best friend – even if it has a mobile app — paidContent.