A Means for Publishers to Put a Newspaper in Your Pocket -- Journal 12 - August 3, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/technology/28verve.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin

As everything shifts to web media and electronic resources, the newspaper industry has really begun to suffer. Verve Wireless believes it has the solution. It offers newspaper publishers the chance to deliver newspapers to users’ cell phones, a technology that most companies are beginning to use.

Verve Wireless currently offers 4,000 mobile versions of the newspaper from 140 different publishers. The Associate Press is one of Verve’s largest customers right now with $3 million invested in the company. They believe this could be the answer to the newspaper’s struggling business.

These mobile companies are also trying to persuade advertisers to jump in on the action. According to Verve, their software can tailor ads to each individual subscriber rather than bombarding them with all types of ads. They can better segment the market by offering targeted ads. For example, Verve says it could deliver an ad about the bar scene to people ages 21-30 who live downtown.

I believe that newspapers delivered to cell phones are a great idea for several reasons. For subscribers, the news is made ready at the tips of their fingers with ads targeted at their interests. It may also help to revive the newspaper industry. For example, in 2006, a report from the Census Bureau said that Americans would spend more time with their TV than with their newspaper. In fact, the newspaper ranked only above magazines, books, and video games. Everything before it consisted of electronic media.

Cell phone newspapers also cut down on wasted paper that Americans may or may not recycle. I am a huge fan of recycling and unfortunately most people find it more convenient to just throw it out. Some subscribers do not even open the paper once they receive it; they merely have a subscription just to have one.

Think about if we could reduce the amount of trees we cut down and waste for in-print newspapers. Most of the information contained in the newspaper is already hosted on the newspapers’ website for free. Why not put more time and resources into enhancing our electronic media for newspapers?

Reference: http://www.lostremote.com/2006/12/15/web-now-exceeds-newspaper-use-in-us/