The Associated Press last month debuted Mobile News Network, a multimedia news portal targeted at smart phone users (see Newspapers & Technology, May 2008).

The MNN launch spans more than 100 news publishers covering 16 of the top 20 DMAs.

“With a new generation of mobile devices on the market, like the iPhone, the time is right for AP to introduce a product that brings together our members’ local news brands with AP’s unrivaled coverage of international and national events,” said Jane Seagrave, AP’s senior vice president of global product development.

 

The new service, optimized for the Apple iPhone, offers local and national news, photo galleries and videos, among other features.

Future phases of MNN will include content from additional newspapers and broadcasters as well as being optimized for next-generation mobile phones, AP said.

Users can access MNN via www.apnews.com or via iPhone Web app pages at www.iphone.com/webapps.