Information Management Systems Research group has just released a detailed report suggesting that Mobile TV (via cellphones) will experience 50% growth per year for the next 5 years, only then to be taken over by paid Mobile TV subscribers who will be using some other future handheld technology. The report states that the key to Cellphone TV adoption is better reception indoors, along with compelling content, and affordable, attractive phones. Who are these companies starting "Cellphone TV" networks? That's a good question - because I wonder how much demand there really is for portable digital cable. I don't watch any TV as it is (unless Netflix counts), so perhaps I'm jaded, but half a billion people watching TV on their cellphones in the next five years seems a little far fetched to me. I guess we'll just have to look to Japan to see how much Cellphone TV adoption takes off.
In any case, this study bodes well for all digital content producers out there. Short format work, such as Pat Ortman's Deliverance By the Slice "mobisodes" seems to be the Cellphone TV model, at least for now.
1. Hey Josh, thanks! Yeah, we're finding that the models these cell companies have are really just the first baby steps that the industry is taking. However, we did just get our first royalty check from SprintTV last week- and it felt good :-)
I'll keep you up to date as things occur, we're getting some bites from other alternative distribution channels too such as online distribution from Cinequest, etc. It's an interesting time to be doing stuff. I do believe the short formats will become more important as time goes on, and I also believe that film festivals as we know them today are rapidly being eclipsed.
The official "Deliverance" website is www.deliverancepizza.com
Thanks again for the mention!
Posted at 4:55PM on Aug 11th 2006 by Pat