Verizon strikes major content deals to coincide with CTIA
March 31, 2008
My network is bigger than yours
Verizon Wireless has struck a host of deals with companies such as MTV Networks, MySpace, ESPN and Loopt just as mobile marketers prepare for CTIA, the nation’s most attended wireless show.
The wireless carrier, whose announcements came a day after AT&T Inc.’s news that it would debut a mobile TV offering, is meant to pack a punch and impress all players in the mobile ecosystem. Take the MTV partnership. Verizon Friday launched WAP sites for MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and CMT on its Mobile Web 2.0 service.
"While we work with all carriers, Verizon is a very important partner for us," said Greg Clayman, executive vice president of digital distribution and business development at MTV Networks, New York. "They share our focus on the consumer and are on the cutting edge of mobile content, Web and application delivery. Verizon gives us many new and exciting ways to connect with our fans via mobile."
The MTV deal covers news, show information, music, blogs, celebrity flipbooks, commentary, horoscopes and kid-oriented content.
Accompanying these WAP sites are Verizon V Cast Video channels for MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, VH1, CMT, Logo, Spike, MTV Tr3s and Atom Films.
The deal with MySpace will let Verizon subscribers go directly to the social network’s mobile site on the carrier’s Mobile Web 2.0 home screen.
Once on that location, consumers can edit their profiles, view and add friends, post comments and blogs, and send and receive MySpace messages.
The Verizon deal comes soon after MySpace announced a similar relationship with Sprint.
Verizon’s ESPN deal led to the launch of ESPN Radio as a mobile simulcast. It joins ESPN Mobile TV on Verizon’s Mobile TV offering, offering access to radio programs such as “SportsCenter AM,” “GameNight” and ‘The Pulse.”
The relationship with Loopt is designed offer social mapping on mobile phones. Verizon customers will next month be able to use their phones' location-based services capability to share location information, status messages and geo-targeted photos with their friends.
On the mobile TV front, Verizon said the MTV Tr3s channel is now available on its V Cast Mobile TV service. This bilingual Hispanic service is offered exclusively on mobile through Verizon, with programs such as Pimpeando, Karlifornia and Sucker Free Latino.
"MTV Networks takes mobile very seriously," Mr. Clayman said. "We strive to create mobile experiences every bit as compelling as what we do online and on-air. Verizon has been a great partner in bringing these experiences to our audiences and we look forward to continue working with them closely going forward."