SHOWTIME LAUNCHES MOBILE
VIDEO
SHOWTIME's WAP solution to be powered by
the Mobile Streams' “Vuesia” Technology
Platform
NEW YORK, NY- October 9,
2006 – Mobile Streams and Showtime
Networks Inc. announced today that
Mobile Streams has built an Off-Deck WAP
portal to provide mobile users with
access to content from SHOWTIME programs
for the first time. WAP, or Wireless
Application Protocol, is a secure
specification that allows users to
access information instantly via
handheld wireless devices such as mobile
phones, pagers, two-way radios,
smartphones and communicators. Mobile
users with 2.5G or 3G handsets will be
able to access the mobile offering,
subject to carrier and handset
capabilities.
This is a groundbreaking
arrangement where a television network
will give consumers cross-carrier access
to video clips from its shows. At
launch, the SHOWTIME WAP portal gives
mobile users access to video clips and
wallpapers from the critically acclaimed
new Original Series DEXTER starring
Michael C. Hall, as well as video clips
from the Emmy®-nominated and Golden
Globe®-winning WEEDS and the new sketch
comedy series THE UNDERGROUND starring
Damon Wayans. Content from other
Showtime programming, such as SLEEPER
CELL, THE L WORD and SHOWTIME
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will be rolled out
in the coming weeks.
The launch of this WAP
portal coincides with the multimedia
promotional campaign surrounding the
premiere of SHOWTIME's newest hit
original series DEXTER. In addition to
giving consumers access to this portal
on their mobile phones via
http://wap.sho.com, messaging
has been integrated into print, outdoor
and on-air promotion for DEXTER to
prompt mobile users to send a text
message to SHOWTIME to request more
content and information on the show. For
example, users can text the word
“DEXTER” to the short code SHOTV (74688)
in order to receive more information and
content on the show via mobile. Users
can also learn how to access this mobile
content at
http://sho.com/dexter.
Robert Hayes, Senior Vice
President and General Manager of Digital
Media for Showtime Networks commented:
“Mobile has become an increasingly
important component of our overall
program promotion and marketing
campaigns. It offers us an excellent
subscriber acquisition and program
sampling opportunity on the expanding
mobile platform” Hayes concluded.
Chris Rovtar, Senior Vice
President of Mobile Streams, who manages
the SHOWTIME relationship says: “We are
extremely excited to be involved in the
SHOWTIME mobile application. This is the
opportune time to raise the curtain on
SHOWTIME mobile content by providing
users with a very rich video
experience.”
The SHOWTIME WAP solution
is managed by Mobile Streams' full
service enterprise mobile media
management solution “Vuesia”, which
manages content ingestion, transcoding,
and formatting for all handsets for both
domestic and international carriers.
About Showtime Networks
Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI),
a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS
Corporation, owns and operates the
premium television networks SHOWTIME®,
THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as
the multiplex channels SHOWTIME® TOO™,
SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®,
SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®,
SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE®
and TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME
HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON
DEMAND™ and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON
DEMAND™. SNI is also an owner and
manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL, a venture
of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI.
SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a
joint venture between SNI and the
Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds
provide enhanced sound using Dolby
Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes
sports and entertainment events for
exhibition to subscribers on a
pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV.
About Mobile Streams
Mobile Streams is a
leading provider of music, comedy, sport
and entertainment content to handsets
and other wireless devices, whose mobile
expertise and distribution platform, “Vuesia,”
is used globally by some of the world's
largest media groups and mobile phone
networks including Vodafone, and 3 in
the UK, America Movil, Movistar & TIM in
Latin America, Fido & Rogers in Canada
and Dobson in the US.
“Vuesia” is Mobile
Streams' full service enterprise mobile
media management solution. “Vuesia”
facilitates content ingestion,
management, delivery, billing and
reporting.
The Company creates,
licenses and delivers quality content to
Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and
consumers in the form of ringtones,
graphics, video clips and other
products. It has developed relationships
with both content owners and MNOs which
enable it to act as an intermediary,
providing an end-to-end service
encompassing a broad range of elements
from content licensing to content
production, account management and
channel management.
Mobile Streams has
subsidiaries in Germany, the US,
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile,
Colombia, Sydney and Singapore and has
approximately 100 employees.
For more information
please go to
www.mobilestreams.com
###
