Hearst is launching a new strategy to further monetize its content online - essentially it will be carving up its content into apps for Apple’s iPhone.  The focus of these apps, which could reach as high as into the thousands, will be on easily digestible - and updatable - subject matters: sports teams, players and celebrities, along with hobbies and topics, like coffee, Barbie and cupcakes, writes the Wall Street Journal. The division publishing the apps is Hearst unit LMK, or 'Let Me Know.' Like most apps they will sell for 99 cents and up. And unlike web content, consumers will be much more inclined to pay for them. "We've always trained people that everything on the mobile device costs money," said George Kliavkoff, the Hearst executive overseeing the application unit (via the Wall Street Journal).

Clamping Down

Apple, however, is clamping down on so-called cookie cutter apps - that is apps that are de facto RSS feeds or "glorified business cards” - a category in which, arguably, these apps could fall.  Kliavkoff reports that Hearst has discussed its strategy with Apple and that the technology company has approved of its approach. Already 70 LMK apps, in fact, are currently in the app store. While Hearst no doubt carries significant weight with Apple - especially as it readies for the iPad - Apple has been known to reverse course with its policies for the App Store. It also is clearly on a mission to keep low-value apps to a minimum. Last month Apple changed the policy for geo-locational apps, saying that they need to offer more of a value add than merely targeting users with promotions.

'Cheapens the Brand'

Also, some in the publishing industry find Hearst’s bite-sized approach to content disturbing.  “This approach does bring in money, but it cheapens the media brand by associating them with tactics usually practiced by spammers,” writes Big Money.