Expanding into non-print media, the newspaper confronts new rules, constraints and possibilities for how it presents information. A familiar consequence of the new rules can be seen on newspapers' Web pages. In contrast to the printed paper's Page One, the online front page often dilutes the importance of the two or three really important stories you might find there. Like any newspaper, The New York Times has to pay the bills. I wonder, though, whether the prominence of Internet home page advertising will have a long-term effect on readers' perceptions about the newspaper, online and off.
Wireless transmission imposes other constraints.
Imagine yourself with a cellphone or Personal Digital Assistant, like a Palm Pilot, that delivers brief news bulletins to you as part of your local newspaper subscription. You don't want to be interrupted by a beeping alert without a good reason. If you own stocks, you might want to know when prices are rising or falling. If you love the New York Yankees, you might want to see the score inning by inning. You probably would not choose to receive regular bulletins on meetings of the city council and the school board.