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ERICSSON GLOBAL | |
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First-ever mobile TV awards held
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The world's first global mobile-TV screenings and awards ceremony was held in October at the MIPCOM conference. Ericsson was selected for the screening jury, which gave a unique and valuable insight into the mobile-TV market.
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
MIPCOM, held in Cannes in October 2005, is one of the most important marketplaces for the TV content industry. The mobile TV competition was the first of its kind and attracted an astounding 235 entrants from 135 companies in 30 countries.
Magnus Wester from the Ericsson Mobility World innovation team represented Ericsson on the screening jury, which selected 23 finalists out of the 230 entrants. One of the trends Wester noticed was that both established media companies and small innovative firms are trying to develop new TV formats better suited to mobiles. This is a step away from the traditional mobile-TV content, which is mainly standard-TV content reduced to fit the smaller mobile screen format. One example was the mobile drama 24:Conspiracy, made by Mobile Entertainment. Based on the popular TV show 24 Hours, and the assumption that mobile users' attention can only be held for a short period of time, the show consists of one-minute "mobisodes". "Each mobisode is fast paced and professionally produced," Wester says. "The footage was made for the mobile format, with lots of close-ups and numerous camera changes to help maintain a fast-paced tempo and avoid panoramic shots." Some production houses have tried to make a more personal and intimate mobile format. An impressive example of this was Pete Tong's Fast Trax, in which famous UK disc jockey Pete Tong showcases the latest dance-floor fillers. The message is delivered to the user like a friend sharing a rumor in a bar. The service today generates 70,000 downloads per week. Another mobile trend at MIPCOM was cartoons. "We saw a lot of animations in the contest, and it was obvious why – cartoons work well in the mobile format,” Wester says. Happy Tree Friends, which is produced by Cyoshi Mobile and has been shown on MTV, was one of the entries. Another was Walt Disney Internet Group in Japan, which has produced some great 3D animations – including Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh. As with the internet, interactive communities are also growing in the mobile area. "There seems to be a basic need among users to share ideas, pictures and files," Wester says. One of the services that stood out from the crowd was Dateline, a dating service from Yoomedia in the UK, launched there with 3. Ericsson partner Techsell Interactive has a similar service called “MeetMe” that is being launched with 3 in Sweden. The service lets the user record a video dating advert with a 3G phone, as well as screening other users' adverts and leaving video messages for them. The service uptake is said to be very good. There were also examples of how the mobile channel has been used as a complementary screen to TV. Buena Vista International in the UK submitted its Desperate Housewives Recaps, where mobile users could get a mobile summary of the latest plotlines in the popular TV show. Another example was Project SuperStar, an American Idol-type of talent show from MediaCorp in Singapore, where users could follow what happened back stage after the TV show ended. "Being in the jury gave us a unique insight into what is happening on the content side of this extremely interesting business area," Wester says. "The event was really inspiring and revealed just how much mobile TV and video services can bring to the business in terms of traffic and revenues." Winners of 2005 MIPCOM Mobile TV Awards:
By Lars-Magnus Kihlström 
Last published February 17, 2007
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