Clyde Bentley is a 2009-2010 Reynolds Fellow. He worked for 25 years in the newspaper industry before earning his doctorate in journalism at the University of Oregon in 2000. His dissertation, "Make My Day: Ritual, Dependency and the Habit of Newspaper Reading," grew out of his prior experiences as a reporter, editor, general manager and marketing director at newspapers in California, Oregon, Idaho and Texas.
Bentley studied at the Poynter Institute and the American Press Institute before joining the Missouri School of Journalism in 2001.
Bentley’s research focuses on citizen journalism, Internet-facilitated journalism and the habits, preferences and comfort levels of digital media consumers.
Clyde Bentley
News companies go mobile: tips, techniques, strategies
April 2010
News editors, mobile industry execs and academics gathered at the Reynolds Journalism Institute in April to brainstorm the challenges news companies face as smart phone usage sets new records for growth. By 2013 more people will access the web by mobile device than by PC.
The goal: To have 75% of Americans use some bit of newspaper-generated mobile in some way each day. (Newspapers once exceeded this benchmark in print.)
See 3 minute video clips from “Going Mobile: How Journalists Can Meet the Cell Phone Challenge."
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. How to do more with less: “Lean mobile” strategies |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. “Mobile Isn’t Internet Lite”: Verve on partnerships with publishers |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Is it really a Smartphone world?: Why news companies should focus on text messaging and other “Lean Mobile” strategies |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Aside from being quick, inexpensive and high impact, what is QR code? |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Cheap, easy usability research: “Think aloud protocol” |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Mobile apps: New tools, new opportunities for news companies |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Mobile apps: Must-have features |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. Smartphone apps: What content should I “mobilize”? |
You need Adobe Flash Player 8 and javascript to view this video. If you are born in the 90's, what is "news" to you and how do you get it? |
See video of complete sessions, liveblog, commentary, agenda and presenters.
Five factors will determine whether newsrooms meet the cell phone challenge
To meet the cell phone challenge will require that newsrooms excel at five factors:
- Technology — either everyone must have a smartphone or we need to figure out how to deliver our best on simple text/voice feature phones.
- Essential content — People should feel that they just can’t get through the day without the mobile content we provide. That content must be:
- Entertaining
- Immediate
- Location Based
- Public input — Cell phones are communications devices designed to let their users talk. Those users need to talk, text, email or brainwave to us. More to the point, we need to listen to them.
- Transaction — News is a business and must pay its way. Mobile from newspapers should provide transactions for advertisers, for readers and for anyone else. In this case, money talks.
- Willpower – Dreaming is not enough. If we don’t commit to hitting the goal, no list in the world will get us there.