Article at a glance:

Late edition: Another chance for newspapers on the Web

Already under threat from the Internet, newspapers now have to contend with wireless communications. Mobile devices, which are more common in parts of Asia and Europe than the PC, lend themselves particularly well to location-specific World Wide Web features such as city guides, entertainment listings, and restaurant reviews—exactly the kind of information that was once easiest to find in a newspaper. How can newspapers defend their territory against yet more competitors?

The take-away

Service providers have the best customer relationships and therefore the best chance of capturing the biggest chunks of revenue. What they lack, though, are marketing and editorial skills, content, and a highly regarded brand name. Newspapers have all of these assets and should therefore take advantage of them by negotiating deals with wireless providers right now.