Metro International, the world's largest free-newspaper operation, is putting together a real Internet strategy and "The web will be completely different from the paper, says Sakari Pitkänen, editor in chief of Metro Sweden," according to the Swedish blog Media Culpa.
Good for them. I've always been disappointed by the websites of other free newspapers, such as 20 Minutes and the Examiners. These newspapers are good ways to burn 20 minutes of subway-riding time without having to look at the weirdo in the seat opposite, but they're not great newspapers, and building an "online newspaper" with their content as raw material makes even less sense than the usual "online newspaper" strategy.
There's an opportunity for Metro to tap into the common concerns of city commuters by building community around the experience. Will they? We'll be watching.
Thanks to The Editors Weblog.