Why some media outfits still refuse to go online

Whereas most media firms scramble to create iPad applications or fret about whether to chase online advertisers or build paywalls, a few digital resisters refuse to distribute over the Internet at all.

They have some good reasons. Online advertising is worth much less than television or print advertising. It is hard to persuade people to pay much (if anything) for digital content. Technology firms such as Amazon and Apple can often set retail prices. Digital products can be less beautiful than physical ones. But such gripes are widespread in the media industry. They must be set against the fact that digital distribution is a low-cost way of reaching huge audiences. What is more, refusing to go online is a sure way to alienate many potential customers. So why do the analog holdouts hold out? Simple technophobia is not usually the reason. One thing many of the analog holdouts have in common is that they sell few subsidiary products. The great thing about the Internet is that it makes content universally available. But many of the holdouts are already ubiquitous. The band of analog holdouts is gradually dwindling. Because they are so few and so large, the holdouts are valuable: any technology firm that can persuade the Beatles to go digital will reap fat rewards. Theft provides another stimulus. All the analog holdouts are widely available online -- just not legally.