City AM launches headlines service for mobile users

City AM, London’s daily business freesheet, is entering the capital’s free afternoon news war with the launch of a service delivering headlines directly to mobile phones.

The City M Mobizine will fight it out in the capital with the two free newspapers, Associated’s London Lite and News International’s thelondonpaper in what is a saturated afternoon and evening news market.

City AM is believed to be the first daily “serious” newspaper to launch the innovative mobile technology, which executives at the freesheet say provides advertisers with a new platform. Banner ads and pop-ups are available on City M which in time will be personalised for the user.

Every evening at 6pm, City M users will be sent “snack-sized” afternoon bulletins of the day’s most important city news made up of four sections – breaking news, sport, lifestyle and regular column, The Capitalist. Each section features five stories and at the bottom of each story the user will find links to other useful content.

The City M mobizine, is developed by Refresh Mobile and will cost 5p per edition which, once on the phone, can be read again without a network connection, for example on London Underground.

The edition then automatically updates when the next is published.

City AM managing director Lawson Muncaster says: “Now, our readers can get the latest news every evening on their way home in a fast and accessible way.”