An article in the techy magazine "Wired" touts the benefits of Kindle as a potential savior of the newspaper industry and wonders aloud why newspapers haven't jumped to the new medium.

The article referenced a press conference that focused on using Kindle for textbooks and newspapers, but also on The New York Times' idea of subsidizing some Kindle purchases for areas where it's not reaching subscribers.

The article then goes on to chastise the Times for not jumping with both feet onto the inkless bandwagon.

"There is another overlooked opportunity that mating a first-class newspaper with the Kindle - which, sadly, isn't what was on offer today - would provide. Moving reading off the web and onto a wireless device makes it possible for newspapers to create exclusive content that would provide incremental revenue."

The writer then offered this point for publishers to ponder:

"Think of the Kindle as a newspaper's version of the DVD. When DVD sales took off, they gave Hollywood a respite from a relentless erosion of the industry's economics. Here was a place studios could make money - and keep it. And for a number of years, the DVD was a veritable Guernsey of cash."

Wired's writer goes on to describe various scenarios in which newspapers could generate real revenue by selling exclusive content, such more detailed versions of important stories. It suggests that's a far better alternative than giving away content for free on the Internet.

While the conclusion of the article isn't that Kindle will absolutely save newspapers, it notes that the growing competition among companies for the electronic publication market could directly benefit newspapers by providing it with a revenue-generating model for the future.