3, through a deal with MobiTV, has added seven new channels: Kiss; Shorts TV; CNN; Extreme Sports; ITN; Cartoon Network and Bravo. Punters pay £5 a month for access. (Source: Netimperitive) Interesting in the context of stories from the MIPCOM gathering of TV networks and producers that the mobile TV audience is expected to match that of normal TV within five years. (Source: paidcontent)
A few months ago I was talking with a TV producer who said people would never watch TV on a mobile phone. There are newspaper executives who today say people will never read a newspaper on a mobile phone or similar device. True. The devices and publishers will evolve and meet. Punters are mobile. News and information wants to be mobile. Publishers will adapt. They have to.
My fear is that for retail newsagents their revenue will shift from selling product to being a prepaid top up point so people can access news and information online. This means going from a 25% GP share of sales to <1% share of sales.