The Economist is testing a system which will allow subscribers to read the content from the magazine before it hits the newsstands. Subscribers are alerted via text message and then can link to the Economist's site, where the content is available on a landing page, accessible only by mobile users. Full story here.

I subscribe to the Economist and consider it one of the best magazines out there. The problem is that I rarely have the 4 hours it takes to read the Economist on a weekly basis. Their 20 page analysis of the technical divide in Nigeria is interesting but tough to devote the time to. The people who receive the alerts and have the time to read the stories apparently have a lot of time. As a side note- it would be fascinating to learn who these people are. 

Here is part of the story as synopsized by paidcontent.org:

The Economist Tests Phone-Based Print Delivery Service

Mobile content, sorta: Add this to the list of paid content scenarios currently being tested by news publishers ... The Economist has rolled out a cellphone-based delivery service in New York, per AdAge.

Each Thursday, the financial publication will send out a text detailing the topics for the coming week’s issue, complete with a link to a special landing page; people that order by 9 p.m get guaranteed delivery by 6 a.m the next morning—before the issue even hits newsstands. There’s no extra charge for the on-demand delivery. [Editor’s note: They pay the regular newsstand cost.]