China gets first English mobile newspaper

China is to get its very first English language ‘mobile newspaper’, according to China Daily, which will produce the content as a partner of China Mobile. The paper reports it will send “multimedia messages” to subscribers phones twice daily: once in the morning, once in the afternoon.

The service will cost 5 yuan a month, or around 35p, a month and will send users all the latest updates on business, health, celebrity and other news, as well as cartoon in the multimedia package. China Daily and China Mobile hopes the service will be taken up by oreign officials, embassy representatives, members of chambers of commerce and foreign companies, and students, among others.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t say how long the minimum subscription will be, which is a bit of shame – I could definitely see a market for visitors coming over for the Olympics this year and seeking a news fix.