Today Starbucks announced further details regarding the company's plan to launch a new digital network for their customers. The Starbucks Digital Network will be offered in addition to their free Wi-Fi further enhancing the community coffee shop feel that the company has been aiming for. The plan for the Starbucks Digital Network was first previewed back in June but gave few details as to what the content would consist of. Now that the details have been released, Starbucks customers can look forward to a custom Starbucks channel in addition to five other content channels including Wellness, News, Entertainment, Business & Careers, and a My Neighborhood channel that will feature local, community focused content.
In partnership with Yahoo, the new service will be delivered to company owned Starbucks locations through out the United States sometime in late fall of 2010; an exact date has not yet been announced. The network will feature premium offerings from some of the biggest names in content including the New York Times , Patch , USA Today , and the Wall Street Journal . Much of the health channel will have its content provided by leading health and fitness publisher Rodale who is behind such tittles as Runners World and Men's Health Magazine and there will also be something available for younger patrons and parents on the Entertainment channel provided by Nick Jr. Boost so that parents can spend some quality time with their young ones while filling up on their daily dose of coffee.
While it plans to be both informative and entertaining, Starbucks' new network will do more than just provide information for users but will also offer tools to help customers interact with their communities. For example, Starbucks is also working with a nonprofit web site, DonorChoose.org , to help users find ways to make a difference in their neighborhood schools as a part of the My Neighborhood channel and to provide needed funds for the tools and resources that underfunded schools and low income students need to succeed in education.
This move hopes to keep customers in stores longer and will help Starbucks capitalize on their free Wi-Fi service already available to customers.
