Motricity: "Shame On Us" If The Mobile Internet Becomes Like The Internet

Ex-AT&T executive Jim Ryan is now the chief strategy and marketing officer of Motricity, which provides storefront, portal and browser services to carriers. On how users should pay for mobile content and other services, Ryan is clear: Users should pay for content and services they access on mobile devices -- and the carrier should get a cut of the revenues. "My hope is that the mobile Internet does not go down the path of re-creating the Internet. The Internet treats the end user as a means to an end." By that, he means that most users believe their presence alone on a site should generate enough revenues from ads. Of course, some content providers believe that, too. "That's flawed....The Internet did teach us some bad habits." Ryan says content providers should be charging, especially on mobile where the service can be more personalized and tailored to a interests and habits. "People will be more than willing to pay," he said. "I want to pay for a news service that will deliver the top 10-15 stories that matter to me the most. I want them to be researched and well-written. I will pay money for that."