Tribune Media Services (TMS), the content licensing division of
Tribune Company has partnered with Vibes Media to bring
TMS' e catalogue ofditorial content to the mobile
market.
Vibes, a leading provider of interactive text message and
mobile content marketing, has converted thousands of pieces of TMS
content into a mobile-ready format, with new content published on an
on-going basis. The content catalog will be marketed to a broad range
of providers in the mobile services and media industries.
Wireless subscribers will have access to the best name-brand
editorial and information content through their mobile phones the same
week and in some cases the same day that it is published in print and
online. Content providers for the mobile catalog feature legendary
figures such as Garrison Keillor, Dave Barry, Wolfgang Puck, Rick
Steves, Arianna Huffington, Linda Black, Henry Kissinger and Carl
Hiaasen, among many others. Subscribers can also sign-up for daily
alerts, jokes, horoscopes and quotes, as well as other original Vibes
created content.
"This partnership is ground-breaking because most of the mobile
content currently available, especially SMS alert services, is
low-quality, generic, and overpriced," said Rohan Deuskar, Director
Innovation and Product Incubation, for Vibes Media. "This is the first
time that a catalog of this quality and depth is being made available
for a mobile audience."
One of the first companies to utilize the new service will be U.S.
Cellular, which will offer their subscribers an extensive collection of
daily and weekly SMS alerts starting in October 2008.
"The TMS/Vibes partnership is the first significant mobile content
distribution project TMS has undertaken," said Steve Tippie, TMS Vice
President of Marketing and Licensing. "We chose to work with Vibes over
other companies because of their excellent record for innovative mobile
programs and their positive and aggressive entrepreneurial energy and
drive. I expect this to be the first in a series of mobile content
projects we work on together."
Vibes, a 10-year-old, privately owned company based in Chicago, is a
pioneer in the mobile marketing space. The company has executed more
than 50,000 mobile marketing programs throughout the U.S. and expects
strong growth in their business. Recognized as a leading player in the
U.S. mobile applications market, Vibes also recently acquired $15
million dollars as part of a strategic investment by Fidelity Ventures.