Content Providers
Content Providers

Content Providers

DoCoMo to Buy Stake in Fuji TV

Fuji Television Network Inc., Japan’s biggest broadcaster, said it’s in talks to sell a stake to NTT DoCoMo Inc. Tokyo-based Fuji confirmed the negotiations in a statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, following a Nihon Keizai newspaper report saying DoCoMo is in talks to buy a 3 percent stake in the broadcaster for about 20 billion yen ($171 million). Fuji Television may sell treasury stock to DoCoMo, the newspaper reported, without saying who provided the information.

SoftBank Funds ThumbPlay Games

Thumbplay has secured $7.5 million in second-round funding led by SoftBank Capital technology Fund III and SoftBank Capital New York. Earlier this year, Thumbplay announced the launch of an online mobile entertainment portal – ThumbPlay.com. Thumbplay said the portal works with most major carriers and offers customers a faster, easier way to order applications, ringtones, images, games and other content directly to their cell phones.

Vodafone Launches Worldwide Mobile TV

In one of the biggest moves yet to push new mobile TV services to a global audience, Vodafone Group PLC will begin this month to offer a mix of world TV brands, European sports coverage and entertainment programs across its international markets. Under its new global mobile TV channel offering, Vodafone will provide popular programs that are easy to view on small mobile phone screens, the operator said Tuesday.

Note: This story appears to be based on Vodafone Group’s 6 December press release. Big V’s new mobile TV service is, we think, not unrelated to an earlier media service & technology rolled out a year ago and quietly test-marketed in Japan. WWJ hopes to bring you a detailed report shortly once we get confirmation from the carrier. — Ed.

Bandai Brings Tamagotchi Mobile to EU

Bandai Networks Japan is collaborating with Living Mobile Germany, a European developer and marketer of mobile-phone games, to offer a mobile-phone version of “Tamagotchi” for telecom providers throughout Europe. Bandai created a global craze when it released the hit portable LCD game in 1996, selling 40 million units worldwide. In 2004, the “Tamagotchi Connection” series was released, and has already sold over 15 million units worldwide, the mobile-phone version will be available across Europe beginning in December 2005, according to the company.

Java-Based Video Applet to Deliver Local Broadcast Content to Mobile Phones

Weathernews, the world’s most experienced and trusted provider of mobile weather content with over 1.5 million paying mobile subscribers, today announced its newest offering, the first and only mobile Java application to incorporate MPEG 4 video technology bringing the weathercasts of local broadcast stations to subscribers’ cell phones. Called the Weathernews Network, the new mobile multimedia technology allows subscribers to watch personalized video feeds of local weather news and conditions from their trusted, local broadcasters right from their cell phone (WeatherNews USA is owned by WeatherNews Japan — Ed.).

WAMO: Mobile Music Downloads Adding Video Content

WAMO: Mobile Music Downloads Adding Video ContentWarner Music Japan and KDDI Corp. have announced an agreement which will allow access to what is billed as the world’s first mobile music bundle: a package of audio, video, graphic and text content in a single, downloadable file. The service is available on au’s CDMA 1X WIN network and launched on 1 December with Sean Paul’s Za Trinity album. The partners’ press announcement [in Japanese] indicates a steady flow of new material in the pipeline for 2006. The music bundles are available on Warner Mobile – also known as ‘WAMO’ – which aims to allow club members to gain earlier-than-anywhere-else access to the label’s releases, artist interviews and live event schedules.

The downloadable ‘WAMO Packs’ include a variety of mobile music products such as videotones, mastertones and Flash screensavers and menus as part of a single download with the intention of letting customers customize their cell phone with their favorite artist. WAMO Packs also contain bonus material, such as video commentary from the artists, detailed information about the artists and their music, photos, cover art and links to web sites for additional information online.

This evolution in mobile music will come as no big surprise to those who attended the Mobile Monday Tokyo event at KDDI’s Designing Studio in June!