Roy Greenslade: Net news for free 'devalues information' | Media | guardian.co.uk

'Giving away information for free on the internet while still charging 50 cents to $1 for the print version of the paper was one of the most fundamentally flawed business decisions of the past 25 years. Newspapers told their paying customers that the information truly had no value.' - Professor Paul MacArthur, Utica College, New York. (Via Gerry Storch)"

How true, but how hard for small media owners to ward off the actions of the big boys who set the expected rules of engagement for the internet. And then we even see the likes of the WSJ and FT giving up or slimming down previously successful paid internet models.

Content on the internet is like content in print or anywhere else and has value in the same way. Whilst we're at it, the same thing applies to advertising on the internet....

How Little Do Users Read? (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)

How Little Do Users Read? (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox): "there is a fixed time of about 25 seconds, plus an additional 4.4 seconds per 100 words."

This research suggests there is limited point to producing online articles in excess of 105 words and that readers only read 20% of what you right...

Don't forget text... it's why print will never die

Steve Rubel has a nice post on his blog as to why text works for blogs, but we shouldn't forget that the world isn't in love with video - producers of video love video as a way to make money from clients.

Most of the points are true for all places text appears:

• It's scannable - according to Jakob Nielsen users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average site visit and 20% is more likely

• Three letters: SEO - For all that Google Universal Search has done to elevate video, search results are still largely made up of text and everyone wants better SEO

• The workplace - It's much easier for cube-based workers to read text on the screen and get away with it vs. watching long videos. Watching videos (even work related vids) screams "slacker"

• Mobile Devices - Yes, of course you can put a video on an iPhone. But it's work and requires planning. Text is easier to pull up in a nanosecond

• Distribution - Nothing flies like text. It's so easy to cut and paste it and send it somewhere or to clip and re-syndicate it via email, RSS or social networks

Total Telecom

Total Telecom: "Download the latest issue of Mobile Broadband Watch: 08 JANUARY 2009"
Issue two now available.
WiMAX in a fix
Nokia launches dongle
Alvarion wins deal
US MBB taking off
HSPA devices boom
and more............

MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL - Censured

BPAI Reports Library Status Reason:: "NOTICE OF CENSURE MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL London, UK At a meeting of the BPA Worldwide Executive Committee held on December 9, 2008 the committee voted to censure MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL published by Informa UK Ltd. The December 2004 and December 2005 circulation audits resulted in substantial corrections to the circulation statements. As a result, the June 2007 and December 2007 statements have been audited and have been corrected prior to release BPA continues to find the circulation claims are incorrect, requiring corrections before release. Accordance with our rules, BPA Worldwide will continue to audit MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL’s circulation statements prior to release to ensure accurate circulation claims. This shall continue until successful completion of an audit resulting in no material changes to the circulation claim. BPA WORLDWIDE This notice expires January 15, 2009"

So what is MCI's true circulation... no body knows - happy new year!