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Advent of Mobile TV Offers Big Branding Options to Pioneers

Posted on: Thursday, 23 February 2006, 09:00 CST

By Steinbock, Dan

COMMENT

The sprint to mobile TV has been on for several years now. With programming, the rise of mobile on-demand video has heralded the coming of mobile TV. In early 2004, Verizon Wireless launched the first mobile TV show in the US-24 Conspiracy, a spin-off of the popular Fox TV show 24. Until recently, SMS was the only way to enhance broadcasting with interactive mobile communications. In 2003, American Idol's wireless TV tie-in launched with SMS voting, which is credited for rocketing text messaging into American pop culture; last spring Mobliss brought Idol-related messaging services to more than 49 million wireless subscribers via the Cingular network. At the same time, Nickelodeon has adopted texting for the Kid's Choice Awards, the tween clone of Hollywood Oscars. Following the success of Big Brother, ABC seized on texting to 'loyalise' fans.

Unlike any other media, mobile TV has direct access to end- users. Like the new mobile services, it relies on great reach (there will be 2.6 billion mobile users next year) and even greater intimacy (mobile devices reflect our identity). Mobile TV offers new opportunities for interactivity, thus preparing way for transactions. For instance, Nokia's N92 offers interactive functionalities,including services such as voting, programme feedback and additional web discovery. The early pilot results emulate the premobile TV service experiences of pioneering mobile operators in Asia-Pacific, particularly in Japan and South Korea. Popular favorites comprise familiar programme offerings, particularly news and sports.

Hollywood cinema captured the world, American shows conquered the TV set. Mobile technology is global,but mobile media is local. MobileTV provides new opportunities for indigenous producers.

It was original content (prime time movies) that allowed Ted Turner to sell basic cable to American TV viewers. It is original content that will sell mobile TV worldwide. Success is predicated on mobile content that is suitable for short and occasional viewing. In Finnish pilot tests, mobile TV users spent 20 minutes a day watching mobile TV; heavy users up to 40 minutes per session.TraditionalTV is for primetime; mobile TV is for users on the move. It complements traditional viewing and can boost primetime audiences. Like NTT DoCoMo's high-speed mobile services, mobile TV requires easy and intuitive service usability,solid technical functionality and reliability, and mobile phone functions that are not compromised by TV application.

Since the cable revolution in the 1980s, marketers have been lamenting over the demise of mass television. Unlike the TV set, mobile devices are ubiquitous and closest to our heart-a new 'must' means to achieve reach and frequency in mass markets.

Mobile technology is global; mobile media is local. It provides opportunities tor indigenous producers

Dr Dan Steinbock is the ICT research director of the India, China and America (ICA) Institute and the faculty spokesman of Forum to Advance Mobile Experience by the CMO Council.

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Jan 27, 2006

Source: Media; Asia's Newspaper for Media, Marketing and Advertising

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