HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Fox Mobile Entertainment is joining the ranks of wireless aggregators, unveiling a Web site hawking music, games and images for mobile phones.
The News Corp. subsidiary launched Mobizzo, an Internet storefront featuring content from Fox brands including “Family Guy,” “Napoleon Dynamite” and the upcoming film “Ice Age: The Meltdown.” The site also offers ringtones and images from Warner Music Group and other labels, and games from mobile publishers I-Play and Airborne.
Fox also said it has opened a studio to create mobile-exclusive content for teens and young adults.
Mobizzo content is available through both subscription and “a la carte” models. The offerings are available through Cingular Wireless L.L.C and T-Mobile USA Inc.; Fox said more carrier agreements are being finalized.
The company said it plans to back the new site with a “multi-million dollar” marketing campaign. Mobizzo is expected to eventually offer video, Fox said, but plans to focus on content more suitable for mass market phones for the next year.
“The mobile market is exploding and it makes perfect sense for a media company like ours to create a real content destination for the billions of cell phone users around the world,” said News Corp. Chief Executive Officer Peter Chernin. “From Fox television and movie properties to original content produced directly for the mobile audience, we think we can create a unique and compelling mobile entertainment offering and deliver it directly to the consumer.”
While Fox brings an impressive content library to wireless, the move to act as an aggregator is surprising. Mobizzo will compete against established aggregators including VeriSign Inc.’s Jamster and Buongiorno Vitaminic’s Blinko in a market that some say has already plateaued as major brands look to reach wireless users directly.
Fellow broadcaster CBS Corp. also joined the stampede to mobile, announcing a service that will deliver text alerts, pictures and video to wireless users. Content from CBS News will be available for $1 a month, while alerts from the company’s “Entertainment Tonight” show will cost $4 monthly.
M-Qube, a Boston-based mobile technology company, is powering CBS’ offering.
