A major challenge facing newspapers today is how they can encourage more participation from their readers and ensure that everyone has more access to the news and information they produce. Although some progress has been made here by also providing contents online, this solution isn't really practical for people on the move who do not have immediate access to the internet.

One solution is for newspapers to disseminate headlines via an SMS headline alert system. A South African publication called Grocott's Mail offers a free program which sends out the paper's top headlines twice a week - the print edition comes out every Tuesday and Friday, as do the SMS headline alerts. The program launched a few months ago, and already has several hundred subscribers so far.

Another idea is to encourage readers to text in their opinions. Responses could be to articles, tips for stories, or general information. This in turn could be translated into non-text speak and placed online or in the paper. It is possible to simplify the whole process using an open source CMS such as Nika. This sorts SMSs and incorporates them directly into the newspaper's system, automating what had previously been a manual process. These SMS pages let readers share their opinions, and see their words in print.

Other interesting uses of mobiles and SMS are through the use of citizen journalists. Here mobiles can be used for sharing breaking SMS news alerts, taking photographs and voice/video recordings. Often this can be easier than taking notes with a paper and pencil and then writing out the stories on a computer.

So for newspapers that want to engage more with their readers, SMS offers some practical solutions and allows for a personal relation between the paper and its readers.

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