Impressions of the digital media round table

Reflections from this amazing session of the 12th World Editors Forum called "Digital Media Round Table":

• An interactive mobile news delivery scheme can grow single copy sales

• Media conumers are becoming Digital Nomads. `they want their content, at the ready - wherever they are.

• The mobile phone is the most frequently used content provider in Norway. Average 5 hrs of use a day - and the typical session is between three and five minutes.

• Internet news consumers are middle-age and expect free services and content.

• Mobile users are young and are comfortable paying for services through their handset (Currently these are mostly personalization options - ring tones, graphics, photos, e-mail. voting for 'American Idol' singers, et al)

• Advanced services have to be easy to use.

• The IT development is rapidly advancing on several fronts. - High-density Nano tech memory chips are already in consumer products (Like the PSP Playstation Portable)

- Flexible, retractable, LARGE screens for mobiles are on the horizon (2007-2010) - Just seeing Samsungs prototypes made editors in the room breathe a sigh a relief - 'The 'PAGE' will live on' said one tablemate.

• These flexible screens could give rise to a mobile interactive 'Views Paper' (Like that phrase ? `just checked and the domain is taken, rats.)

• Semiconductors are poised for a big bang breakthrough - Think 'Minority Report' meets 'Blade Runner' meets 'The Matrix'

Within 10 years - These plastic flexible and durable display screens will evolve into wearable displays. The applications potential for that new delivery medium is just starting to dawn on us.

• The mobile experience is more than merely reading - it's highly interactive.

• Mobile users want to be able to use their handhelds to do Database searching, polling, chat, send SMS messages, blog, e-mail, transmit and receive video and still images and shop.

• Newspaper will need to create interactive mobile editions of their newspapers - Using VG's example - this is an extension of the newsgathering operation. not a separate business in an off-site locale.

• VG has developed a 'Lead Portal' that manages tips from the community. Whethere they come by phone call, e-mail, SMS message or MMS (Video or Photo transmission) they papy freelance rates for contributions and edit and package these reports for online, mobile and print editions of their paper. The power of this model was made clear when Norweigian readers who were in Asia when the Tsunami hit were providing real time reports minutes and hours ahead of the wire services. Using their mobiles they were transmitting pictures, video and text accounts to the newspaper offices.

• User loyalty comes through positive experiences - so the quality of the experience is paramount.

• "Mobile is an accelerator - not a separate business"

• Telcos have captured the user with the handsets - they need to partner with content providers to keep them.

• WiBRo - or Wide-Area Wireless broadband will likely be the key infrastructure in supporting a universal network for supporting the capacity. Internet access is a global standard.

• With larger screens, advanced circuitry, better networks and multimedia capapcity to send and recieve - mobiles (Blackberrys, PDA's Cells, etc) are rapidly moving beyond text-only based news.

• Mobile represent a powerful new media but one that can complement newspaper reader's lifestyles. You have them as younger readers through mobile - middle age via internet and growing older with news print.

Robb Montgomery, CEO - Visual Editors

p.s. I am photo BLOGGING as well. See the latest pictures

Biography: Robb Montgomery of the Chicago Sun-Times is also an international newspaper design consultant, trainer and lecturer. Montgomery recently redesigned The Examiner for Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Montgomery is also a founding editor and designer of Chicago’s Red Streak, the free youth tabloid launched in October 2002. Montgomery is an adjunct professor at Medill, Northwestern U. and the founder of VisualEditors.com.