Fox Mobile Serves Up Mobizzo Media Service

TechNewsWorld reports that Fox Mobile Entertainment will launch a mobile video service called Mobizzo. According to the article, "the service will offer games, music, mobile phone wallpaper and ringtones, including Fox programming such as episodes of Family Guy and films like Napoleon Dynamite."

Fox Mobile plans to "launch a multi-million dollar consumer marketing campaign for Mobizzo," and will "produce its own specialized content, such as specially designed "Mobisodes" of the original series "24: Conspiracy," inspired by the hit TV show "24," and more." Mobizzo will charge around $2-3 dollars for each product with monthly subscriptions to content averaging about $6 a month. The service will be available to Cingular and T-Mobile customers.

Roger Entner at Ovum said, "It's a logical extension for a TV channel now to be expanding into the wireless world. Once you do it for online, it's not that difficult to put it on a mobile phone. When you know what to set up for, it makes it easier."

Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch noted the "Mobizzo business model and a la carte pricing mirrors Apple's iTunes, which has been successful with its video offerings thanks to its partnerships with the big networks." He pointed out that "although the market for mobile video is clear, the amount consumers are willing to pay is not." He said, "From [the providers'] perspective, they have the phone, the PDA , the PC -- all of which are places for mobile video,. It will be interesting to see what happens."