News Corp to launch digital newspaper Jan. 19

NEW YORK, USA: News Corp's will launch its long anticipated digital newspaper for tablet devices on Jan. 19 at a joint news event attended by Chairman Rupert Murdoch and Apple Inc Chief Executive Steve Jobs, according to a person with knowledge of the plan.

News Corp, which generates almost 30 per cent of its first quarter revenue annually from publishing, is making a big bet that starting a newspaper from scratch that is dedicated to tablet devices could help revive the news business.

News Corp said the digital newspaper, known as the Daily, will deliver original coverage of news, the arts, lifestyle, sports and opinion .

The Daily's launch will initially be for the iPad, on a paid subscription basis, News Corp disclosed in a court filing in December.

In early December News Corp asked a judge to bar IMG Worldwide from laying claim to trademark ownership of the Daily name.

Murdoch and Jobs will appear together at an event at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, but the date is subject to change.

Yahoo's the Cutline blog, Forbes.com and All Things D reported earlier details of the plan.

Apple is set to report earnings on Jan. 18.