Read on the move

By Rachana Khanzode

Pressmart, an e-paper technology expert and IMImobile, an end-to-end voice application service enabler are putting news on the mobile.

The mPaper application will only be available on WAP-enabled mobile phones. Users will also have the option of searching and saving articles. Both post-paid and pre-paid customers from Hutch, Airtel and MTNL can avail of the facility.

The service is currently provided by GSM mobile operators and, in the near future, will be extended to CDMA. The service, free for a month for promotional reasons, will be made available at Rs 30 a month for each paper.
So how is the application made available on the mobile? Bibhu Kumar, vice president, sales and marketing, IMImobile, explains, "Before the newspaper goes to print, Pressmart gets a copy and digitises the data. IMImobile takes this feed and repurposes it and transcodes the feed according to different phone models."

Won't the small screen of the mobile hinder reading? Kumar dodges the question. He says, "Reading a newspaper on your mobile will be a different experience. The idea is to provide information."

Currently, Hindustan Times (Mumbai and Delhi editions), Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad and Chennai Editions), DNA, The Indian Express, The Asian Age, Financial Express, The New Indian Express, The Telegraph and The Pioneer have been brought on board. The mPaper is expected to be updated at 6 AM everyday.

IMIMobile and Pressmart have a revenue sharing agreement with the media houses - as well as amongst themselves.

What was the reason behind launching the mobile application? Sanjiv Gupta, CEO, Pressmart, says, "Today, the focus has shifted from print to mobile media. The ease and convenience of browsing news content on a hand-held device gives us the opportunity of reaching widely distributed mobile audiences."

Not to be left behind, the Times Group is also finalising the launch of its mobile paper TOI MOBILE and will bring this facility to its users through Times Internet. As of now, users can access the e-editions of The Times of India and The Economic Times on their mobiles, free. Why did The Times Group feel the need for a separate mobile application? Iqbal Singh, chief manager, strategic initiative group, The Times of India Brand, says, "Today, mobile screens are made for more text. The content on TOI MOBILE will have more text and be crisper, which will enable the users to download it easily."

But what advantage does a mobile paper have over an e-paper or the print copy of a newspaper, as far as brand value is concerned? R D Bhatnagar, vice president, projects & operations, DNA, says, "The e-edition or print copy of the newspaper is not as handy or convenient as a mobile edition. Moreover, the consumer can refer to it as often as he wants."

So, are mobile papers the next big thing in the news industry? Opinion seems divided. While Singh of TOI feels it is too early to comment, Bhatnagar sounds excited, but cautious. "We have the platform, but the key driver of the whole initiative will depend up

on how much business sense it makes for the media house."

rachana.khanzode@thebrandreporter.com



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