Mobile TV struggles to hit the mainstream.

Research firm, Ovum, have highlighted the key issues facing mobile operators trying to push mobile TV into the mainstream.

Ovums senior analyst, Eden Zoller, claims that while huge mainstream TV programs such as Lost are popular, they are not made specifically for mobile and so offer nothing new to the user.

Zoller also claims that the mobile specific content hasn’t fared that much better. One of the main problems was that mobile specific content is expensive to produce and it is difficult to challenge established mainstream television programs.

Zoller highlighted the mobile specific spin-off series of “24” and it would seem that this is probably the best method for mobile TV to capture an audience. Web episodes such as those created for “The US Office” would allow for lesser characters or story-lines to be developed and could also overlap with the major TV storyline.

The recent Lost Experience ARG also seems to indicate that there is a growing interest for cross-media promotion campaigns and mobile TV could certainly play a part in any future ARG type campaings
Source: (NMA 26/10/2006/, page 13)