(Rich Gordon)

Ten to 15 years into the Internet era, it's tempting to think that we now understand a lot about how to create journalism and new products for this medium. It's certainly true that in the past couple of years, traditional media companies have dramatically ramped up their commitment to, and investment in, the World Wide Web.

As our understanding of today's Internet landscape grows, though, it's critically important to keep an eye on the future. Especially, I think, on what's likely to drive the next wave of disruptive change in media: portable devices and mobile connectivity. You can get a glimpse of this future by following what's going on in countries where the mobile technology infrastructure is more advanced than here in the United States. For instance, check out this Guardian article, "Why mobile Japan leads the world." The lead image alone is arresting - four commuters in a row, all watching video on their cellphones. Here's more of a taste of the mobile life in Japan:

Lost in Japan? Let your mobile's GPS guide you. Bored? Download the latest manga comic or an e-book to read on the train, or go shopping and pay by swishing your mobile in front of the till, because the phone is also an electronic wallet.You can also collect e-coupons, pay bills, play Final Fantasy, update your blog and pay and check into hotels wirelessly.

As the article points out, some of the differences between Japan and the United States are technological, while some are cultural. But journalists and media companies would be wise to start thinking about the threats and opportunities presented by a world where cellular phones and other portable devices have pervasive, high-speed Internet connections. The Guardian article illustrates clearly why this world is likely to arrive: the business and revenue possibilities are enormous.

There also seem to be some interesting parallels between the evolution of the "desktop Web" and the "mobile Web." The early years of the Web featured "repurposed" content originally created for other media and the growth of new e-commerce businesses such as Amazon and eBay. It took some time before content creators and media companies started figuring out what kinds of content were most appropriate for the Web, and the most valuable for consumers. The same pattern seems to be playing out in Japan: repurposed content and "m-commerce" first, with original content created for mobile devices lagging behind.

What kinds of content will be most successful for mobile devices? As with the Web, there will be some value to using these devices to deliver the same content (say, video or news headlines) created for another medium. But it also seems reasonable to assume that winning mobile content must take advantage of either or both of these two important attributes of mobile devices: first, that they are portable (and therefore, always in easy reach); and second, that their geographic location can be known (so content can be customized based on the user's location).

If you're interested in the world of mobile content, I'd like to point you to a brand-new resource: LoJoConnect.com, a blog just launched this week by a team of six master's students at Medill to document their final "capstone" new media project. Its tagline: "location-based technology + journalism." In the classroom, we're using the term "locative storytelling."

In addition to the blog, which will operate at least through early June, the students are charged with delivering two things: a report about the state of U.S. mobile technology and content (intended as a resource for journalists and media companies), and at least one example of a journalistic story or service that takes advantage of the unique capabilities of mobile media.

For storytelling, the students have started experimenting with two technologies. The first is mapping, particularly Google Maps. They're exploring whether and how they can create interesting journalism by displaying it on an interactive map. There are already many fascinating uses for map-based content (check out Google Maps Mania or the new Everyblock site), but the students' challenge is to go beyond just displaying information and think about storytelling as well.

Google Maps is a useful technology for the students because it is easily accessible and not too difficult to learn and apply. It's also valuable because any geography-linked content they create for the course can be delivered via Google Maps to anyone who has Internet access. At some point, many U.S. mobile users will be able to access mapping services from their devices, at which point we'll get a clearer picture of the potential value of content linked to map coordinates.

The second storytelling technology the students are using is called "mscape." This is a free software application created by HP Labs in Bristol, England. It is designed to allow content creators to link content (text, audio, video, interactive features) to GPS coordinates - so users with GPS-enabled portable devices can have content (or "mediascapes") triggered by their geographic location.

At this point, mediascapes can be delivered only to portable devices using the Windows CE operating system and having integrated GPS capabilities. Only a small fraction of today's portable devices meet both criteria (the students are using HP "Travel Companion" PDA's marketed primarily as GPS systems), but the mscape platform appears to be a great way to experiment with mobile content triggered by the user's location. .

So far, the student team has explored interesting map-based content such as Londonprofiler.com, the New Orleans Times-Picayune's animation of flooding from Hurricane Katrina, and "Bakersfield Quirks" from the Bakersfield Californian newspaper. They've also gone on audio tours (indoors and outdoors) to get a sense of the ways in which portable content can add to the experience of being in a certain place. Later this spring, the students hope to arrange an event where people can come to a specific location in Chicago and see what it's like to have a "locative storytelling" experience.

You can read more about the students' experiences - and follow news developments related to mobile and geo-specific content - at LoJoConnect.com.


By Rich Gordon (richgor-at-northwestern.edu)
Rich Gordon is Associate Professor and Director of Digital Technology in Education at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.