14 DAY TRIAL // Mobile media company Player X and operator 3 UK have partnered to launch the geekTV mobile TV channel on 3 UK's network. The channel is a mixture of entertainment brands such as Miami Vice and American Dad, and user-generated content that allows 3 UK customers to view and download the content to their handsets.
The channel is updated weekly and is targeted at the 16-to-24 year-old segment of the population. The channel gives 3 UK the opportunity to promote videos that can be also downloaded as individual episodes on 3's portal. So mobile users who, for example, see an episode of Player X's new Dom Joly show on Geek TV can then go and buy the others from the portal.
The channel is available now after launching in the first week of December. Its user-generated content is increased by a geekTV sub-section on 3's popular SeeMeTV platform. 3 UK customers can send in their clips by texting 3geek to 34335 and the best clips are shown on geekTV and can also receive prizes.
"We spent 12 months in making geekTV the force it is and with O2 launching it as an i-mode channel earlier last year, we're delighted 3 UK has signed up for the streamed version of the channel. We are talking to more operators and also to handset manufacturers because we're convinced this channel is an important addition to the mobile content area," said Tony Pearce, CEO of Player X.
Player X has invested heavily in the mobile video space and recently announced a deal with Universal Mobile Entertainment for making mobile "retrosodes" of 1970s TV shows Knight Rider and Magnum, P.I. This is the first time a Hollywood studio has allowed its content to be used in such a way. The company's efforts in mobile video were recognized earlier this year when Player X has secured the second spot in the Best Video Producer category at this year's Mobile Entertainment Awards.