Twentieth Century Fox Television (TCFTV) unveiled a new division to create and distribute content exclusively for wireless devices.
Fox Mobile Entertainment will expand on the network’s efforts to bring content from its TV shows to wireless devices. The network already has distributed 100 one-minute “mobisodes” based on four series including “24” and “Simple Life: Interns.”
The unit also is charged with managing the text message voting campaign for “American Idol,” which generated 14 million short message service messages last year and will distribute a mobile channel to promote Fox TV shows and films. Under terms of a new two-year licensing deal, FME will provide both wireless content and marketing support for 12 films including “Robots,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and “Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.”
“Not only is forging partnerships with wireless carriers an excellent new means for us to communicate directly with our viewers about our programming, but there is an appetite on the part of these companies for new and dynamic content,” said Gary Newman, president of TCFTV. “And as content providers, this new frontier of wireless programming is something that we find very exciting.”
Lucy Hood, a senior vice president of TCFTV parent News Corp. who has led the company’s wireless efforts, was named president of FME. Mitch Feinman will report to Hood as vice president of the new unit, and Leighton Webb was named vice president of wireless licensing.
“Twentieth Century Fox Television is the only major studio that has its wireless unit working directly within the studio framework alongside creative and marketing executives,” said Hood. “I am delighted to be working with this incredible studio and can’t wait to explore the myriad wireless applications that its roster of hit television properties might inspire.”
