I’d like to take a look at the newspapers in Flanders. What kind of mobile internet services do they offer? Since the launch of the iPhone in Belgium a few weeks ago, mobile internet has become a hot topic. It has ‘a face’ since then, and more and more people want to try it out.
- De Standaard (publisher: Corelio)
One of Belgian’s quality papers, De Standaard, offers a mobile website to its readers since the 16th of June. Via m.standaard.be a mobile-fit website is provided. The service contains all kinds of news, from sports and politics to celebrity updates. Apart from that, the mobile website offers the weather forecast and up to date traffic information.
- De Tijd (publisher: De Persgroep)
Belgian’s newspaper De Tijd focuses on financial news. It delivers daily news, currencies and the reader’s personal ‘investment wallet’ via mobile internet. Subscribers of the newspaper get a little extra: they have access to the archive of the website ( beginning 1998 ) and can search it, just like they can on the regular website. De Tijd also offers its mobile service via a website. Readers type tijd.be and the website automatically adapts to the screen of the cellphone.
- Het Belang van Limburg and Gazet van Antwerpen (publisher: Concentra)
Locally oriented newspapers Het Belang van Limburg and Gazet van Antwerpen offer a mobile website as well. Via www.hbvl.be/palmnieuws/, Belgian, sports, society, cultural and international news is provided. At 2 and 5 pm the news is updated.
- Not a surprise
Other newspapers in Flanders like Het Laatste Niews, De Morgen and Het Nieuwsblad, aren’t offering a mobile internet service (yet). It is not a surprise however that exactly the four newspapers mentioned above, are already into mobile internet.
De Standaard has always been ahead in the Belgian news market when it comes to innovation. The newspaper was the first to introduce blogs on its website and work together with bloggers. Moreover, they offer a very userfriendly website combining text, pictures and video. Editor in chief Peter Vandermeersch says: “We are a news label. On paper and on the computer. Now we are also on your mobile phone.”
Financial newspaper De Tijd has a highly educated readership, interested in financial news and familiar with mobile technology. A small step in other words to introduce their customers to mobile services.
As for the local newspapers Het Belang van Limburg and Gazet van Antwerpen: publisher Concentra has always been known as an innovative company, introducing their mobile internet website years and years ago. In a Dutch article on frankwatching earlier this week was pointed out that local media are the most innovating.
- Added value
The mobile websites of De Standaard and De Tijd offer more than news. I like the fact that De Standaard provides up to date traffic information. A service not really relevant when behind your computer, yet very interesting when you are on the road WITH your cellphone. De Tijd offering personal investments wallets via mobile internet means quite an added value as well. It saves their customers lots of time I think (they can check it everywhere) and they are always up to date about their investments.
My next blog topic will discuss the magazines in Flanders. As you will see, they haven’t chosen the path of mobile websites.
Dorien Aerts, community manager
[…] What about? The mobile internet services Belgian newspapers offer. Take a look. […]
Hi Dorien,
Nice to see an update from Belgium in OJB. Good overview and really interesting.
You wonder why not more publications reach out to heir readers via mobile…
If a little niche blog like mine can do it (we have been mobile for a few years now) then why does it take so long for major newsgroups to port their content…?
Nowadays it is so easy to apply what I call “platform independent publishing” through RSS distribution…
From text to HTML to MP3 to RSS to mobile, it can all be done automatically and with great results…
Again, thanks for the overview, I’ll circulate here at the office for reference.
Hi Philippe, thank you for the compliments 🙂
It is indeed a bit surprising that a niche blog like yours has been mobile for years now. Which is great 🙂 On the other hand, the smaller you are, the faster you get things done. Having worked at a media company myself, I have seen that it takes quite a while to sort things out and make decisions, because the impact of those decisions are bigger, they have to fit in the overall strategy,… Yet, it is indeed so easy to bring your content mobile, so I hope that other initiatives follow!
[…] 29, 2008 by doriennmien I promised in the blog entry about the mobile practices of Flemish newspapers that I would also take a look at the mobile choices the Flemish magazines […]