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MSNBC.com launches free mobile phone news service
Apr. 05, 2006

MSNBC.com took the wraps off a new, free mobile news service at CTIA in Las Vegas Wednesday. The service, dubbed MSNBC.com Mobile, will initially be provided to users of Windows Mobile devices, with support for additional devices, including Java and BREW, to follow.

MSNBC.com Mobile adopts an advertising, rather than subscription, service model, with Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Embedded Devices Division as the exclusive advertising sponsor for the beta phase.

MSNBC.com says it collaborated with Microsoft and Action Engine on consumer research to better understand the mobile experience, the concept of shifting mobile costs from consumers to advertisers, and the potential scenarios for mobile advertising. Services built using Action Engine's Mobile Application Platform "allow consumers to search for and discover mobile Internet content like news, videos, and sports scores without having to suffer through painful typing on a tiny device keypad and frequent between-click connection delays," an MSNBC.com spokesman explained.

The Mobile Application Platform provides a browserless, client/server approach to accessing transaction-oriented online services, and it claims 80 percent fewer keystrokes and a 20x faster response time than browser-based alternatives.

Key features of the MSNBC.com Mobile service include the ability to:
  • Read news articles including Top Headlines, US News, Business News, World News, Entertainment News, Sports News, Tech/Science News, and Health News
  • Watch Headline and Business News videos
  • Watch popular slideshows such as "The Week in Pictures"
  • View video from "The Today Show" and other NBC News properties
  • Save news articles in a folder for later offline viewing
The following screenshots show what MSNBC.com Mobile looks like on a Windows Mobile device (the images were provided to WindowsForDevices by MSNBC.com) -- click each image to enlarge:


During the beta phase, the companies will solicit consumer feedback to "discover and deliver a rewarding consumer experience," in addition to gauging interest from advertisers and wireless operators "to determine the ideal business model."

"As one of the most successful news sites in the world, it's critical that we are available to consumers wherever they may be," said Catherine Captain, vice president of marketing for MSNBC.com. "The goal of this program is to deliver the MSNBC.com experience without penalizing consumers with yet another subscription fee. The consumer research we collect from this beta launch will give us valuable insight on how to effectively migrate advertising-supported content from computer to mobile device."

"We worked closely with MSNBC.com to create an advertising program that is not only a strategic fit for Windows Mobile, but also delivers on Microsoft's goal of driving innovation and learning in the mobile space," said Stacy Malone, vice president and interactive media director at Universal McCann, Microsoft's media agency. "Collaborating with MSNBC.com and Action Engine on this program allows us to deliver the Windows Mobile message in a new, breakthrough way and to better understand how to advertise in the mobile medium most effectively."

MSNBC.com, a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal News, is the exclusive online channel for the NBC Universal News family. Its "driving force," according to the company, is to provide "the optimal consumer experience, presenting a diverse range of original content and the best from our partners in a rich multi-media environment that includes interactive features and free streaming video, allowing users to access the news and information they want, when they want it, 24 hours a day."

Users can sign up for the MSNBC.com beta service here. The service requires consumers to have a data plan with their mobile operators and an Internet-enabled device. Questions about the service and feedback can be emailed to this email address.



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