ABC, Proteus Launch Online Store For Cell Phone Content
Can’t get enough of daytime TV or your favorite ABC show? Scenes or music from popular soap operates and primetime TV are just a flip of a phone away under a new deal between ABC Television Network and Proteus, a mobile content provider.
This month, the network rolled out a new online store at www.abc.com/mobile that lets ABC fans download mobile content, including wallpaper images, and soon ring tones, from their fave soap operas and shows. ABC launched the initiative to help promote the shows and further extend the brand via cell phones, said Bruce Gersh, senior VP-business development for ABC Entertainment.
Fans of ABC soaps All My Children and General Hospital can download wallpaper images from the shows for $1.99 each via text messaging or online ordering. Consumers who log onto the site must enter their cell phone carrier information, the model, phone number and manufacturer to determine which images or ringtones are compatible with their phone.
So far, ABC is offering mobile content for daytime soaps One Life To Live, All My Children and General Hospital, primetime hit Alias and late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“The goal is to extend our reach to fans of these individuals shows and offer them a new and innovative product at the same time,” Gersh said.
As part of its mobile content offerings, ABC plans to make ringtones of some of the network’s hit shows available by the fall season. Also in the works, ABC and Proteus plan to make available other mobile content, including trivia games, chat applications, ringtone call backs, voice tones and video clips. That content could touch on other ABC hits, including Desperate Housewives and Lost, Gersch said.
“Through our partnership, ABC is able to quickly deliver a broad range of content directly to fans of ABC shows, creating a new revenue opportunity and furthering audience loyalty,” said Ken Krushel, CEO of Proteus in a statement.
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