How does your news organization define "mobile?"

Does that mean everything beyond desktop computers? Does that just mean iPhones and iPads?

Here's our current definition of "mobile." We exclude tablets because we view them as a different channel with unique usage. Let me know what you think in the comments.

What is mobile? 

A new media channel. Powered by users who are:

• Connecting at various times from various locations
• Using smartphones and feature phones
• Seeking information via messaging, the mobile web and mobile apps
• Mobile does not include tablets.

The chart below explains the differences between the three digital channels (mobile, tablets, desktop).

This figure shows the times various channels are used by audiences:

Journalists live in on shaky newsroom ground as dips in revenue cause tremors and fault lines deepen between journalists all fighting for what they believe is the best future of news.

Those fault lines are often said to be drawn along the print/digital divide - those who care the most about our digital audience and those who care most about the print audience. Sometimes people also try to draw those lines along the age divide - younger people must be more digital because they grew up with computers and older people must be more set in their ways and focused on the old newspaper model.

But those adages are both wrong. Too many times I've met just-out-of-college journalists who pine for the days when newspapers were the dominant news and advertising medium. I know far too many print journalists who understand the future of news better than web journalists.

The divide, it seems to me, is in a journalist's relationship with the audience.

Big "J" Journalists

 Journalists on one side view themselves as thought leaders in the community who always know more than the audience. When a new story idea is brought up based on something seen from the audience (something is trending on Twitter, bringing Google visitors to the website, a question was asked on the organization's Facebook page) these people will respond with statements such as "We did that story" and "I don't care if people are talking about it online, I know a lot about this topic and that's not important." These are the people who dismiss page views, unique visitors and time spent on page because all they really care about is writing and publishing - even if no one in digital reads or interacts with the content.

"We the People" Journalists

These are the journalists, young and old, print or digital, who care most about serving the audience. They consider themselves one of the people, not a journalist lecturing the people outside. When a new story idea presents itself from the audience directly they consider it, and will even offer to have a conversation with other people about what questions to ask, what the problem is and how it will impact people. To these people, publishing content that impacts people's lives (people read, talk about and act on the content) is the highest priority.

The best thing about this divide is that is a self-construct. If someone wants to change and join the "of the people journalist" movement the first step is simple: listen to your audience.