Fox Interactive Media (FIM), a division of News Corporation, today announced that MySpace, and several of the company's
other leading Web brands will launch a series of new, ad-supported
mobile Web sites that will be completely free to users on mobile
devices.
The new MySpace Mobile Web beta service (http://mobile.myspace.com) will be available to consumers this week with a wider FIM rollout planned in the coming months.
"The MySpace Mobile Web significantly lowers the barrier of entry for all MySpace users to access their profiles on-the-go," said Amit Kapur, VP of business development for MySpace. "An
ad-supported MySpace offering is a major component of our mobile
monetization strategy and we look forward to broadly offering this
industry leading roll-out to advertisers."
Comment from Wireless and Mobile News:
Analysts
are skeptical. The ads will have to be very tiny and it may take
a while for mobile users to click on through, while driving or in the
bank line.
MYSPACE LAUNCHES FREE MOBILE WEB SERVICE
Fox Interactive Media Unveils New Mobile Advertising Platform for
MySpace and Network of FIM Sites
MySpace, IGN, FOXSports.com, AskMen and RottenTomatoes.com to Offer New
Ad-Supported Mobile Web Sites Completely Free to Users
Leading Mobile Advertising Network Millennial Media to Sell and Serve
Ads for FIM Mobile Sites
"Accessing the Internet from a mobile phone
will soon be as common as text messaging and voice calling, and it's
FIM's goal to deliver these new free,
ad-supported experiences as additional options for our users on top of
our incredibly popular premium mobile services,"
said John Smelzer, Senior Vice President and GM of Mobile for Fox
Interactive Media. "With our well-established
carrier partnerships and our more than 80 million U.S. visitors per
month, Fox Interactive Media is uniquely positioned to bring both free
and premium Internet experiences to users on mobile phones."
The mobile site beta launches mark the first time that FIM has delivered
an advertising solution to marketers looking to reach Internet users on
mobile devices. The MySpace Mobile Web (http://mobile.myspace.com)
and additional FIM sites will offer users a considerable amount of free
content, tools, and services that were previously available only to paid
subscribers.
FIM has partnered with Millennial Media, a leading mobile advertising
network, to both sell and serve mobile-based ads, which includes custom
sponsorship packages within MySpace and more traditional display-based
ads with other FIM properties, such as IGN, FOXSports.com, AskMen and
RottenTomatoes.com. In conjunction with Millennial Media, FIM will sell
a limited number of charter sponsorships within MySpace's
new mobile site over the next several months and open all advertising
inventory by the end of the calendar year.
Within the new MySpace Mobile Web experience (http://mobile.myspace.com),
free functionality will include the ability to: send and receive MySpace
messages and friend requests; comment on pictures and profiles; post
bulletins; update blogs; find and search for friends; and view or change
mood status.
The new MySpace Mobile Web beta launch complements the leading social
networking platform's current mobile
offerings which include premium services that are deeply optimized and
integrated on devices offered in the U.S. by AT&T, T-Mobile, and Helio.
In addition to offering new advertising opportunities, FIM's
new ad-supported sites have all undergone significant visual redesigns,
giving users an updated look and feel, and easier-to-use functionality.
Currently FIM has relationships with every major wireless carrier and
its sites can be accessed on more than 150 million mobile phones in the
U.S.
About Millennial Media
Millennial Media operates mobile ad networks designed specifically to
best meet the diverse needs of agencies, brands, and direct marketers.
With Millennial Motion rich media for engaging user experiences, the
Millennial Marketplace for targeted audiences on premium content, and
Decktrade for large-scale performance campaigns, we help advertisers
succeed in meeting their objectives. Millennials are more than today's
youth. With a larger population than the baby boomers and representing
more than 70% of mobile media usage, they are the mass market for today
and tomorrow, and Millennial Media provides the best solutions to reach
them. For more information please visit us at http://www.millennialmedia.com
About MySpace
MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle
portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and
making a positive impact on the world. By integrating web profiles,
blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo
galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and
member forums, MySpace has created a connected community. As the first
ranked web domain in terms of page views(a), MySpace is the most
widely-used and highly regarded site of its kind and is committed to
providing the highest quality member experience. MySpace will continue
to innovate with new features that allow its members to express their
creativity and share their lives, both online and off. MySpace's
international network includes localized community sites in the United
States, France, Germany, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Mexico,
Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden,
Latin America and the United Kingdom. Fox Interactive Media is a
division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS)(NYSE:NWS.A)(ASX:NWS)(ASX:NWSLV).
(a) Among the top 2000 domains comScore Media Metrix, August 2007. For
more information on comScore Networks, please go to http://www.comscore.com.
About Fox Interactive Media
A division of News Corporation (NYSE:NWS)(NYSE:NWS.A), Fox Interactive
Media is a portfolio of leading social networking, entertainment, sports
and information sites that offer a platform and tools for consumers to
express themselves, communicate with each other, and engage with media.
The company's worldwide network includes such category leaders as
MySpace, Photobucket, IGN, FOXSports.com, RottenTomatoes, AskMen,
Flektor and more that together comprise one of the largest audiences on
the Web.