BET Goes Wireless in Venture With Motricity

BET Goes Wireless in Venture With Motricity

Mobile Content From Cable Network to Include Popular Ring Tones, Games and Graphics Now Accessible to Cingular, Sprint & T-Mobile Subscribers

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Wireless content has a brand new player in the marketplace -- BET. Signaling its most extensive branded product launch since the BET.com Web site in 2000, BET is expanding into wireless data and applications in conjunction with its mobile solutions provider, Motricity, a Durham, North Carolina-based company that is one of the world's leading mobile content and solutions providers. The new BET wireless service will be marketed under the "BET Mobile" brand, and will include popular ringtones, graphics, games, alerts and social networking features.

BET is the leading cable network source for entertainment and information targeting the African-American consumer, and is distributed to more than 80 million homes in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET will extend its leading media franchise into the wireless sector by giving viewers direct access to tailored and BET-branded mobile content via their mobile phones and the Web. By texting 'BET' to BETTV (23888) viewers will be able to access the BET Mobile storefront. In addition, viewers will be able to access popular ring tones and other mobile content via short message service and text message codes displayed during music videos and other programs or by visiting BET.com. BET is among the first mobile services to integrate downloadable ring tones into music videos as they play. The vision is to start with ring tones and progress into other personalized entertainment such as full-track music and videos.

"BET viewers are sophisticated and heavy users of the latest mobile devices, services and content. For us to extend our programming and presence into the wireless market is the perfect next-stage evolution for the BET brand," said Debra Lee, BET President and CEO. "BET made history in 1980 as the first television network of its kind. Now we are ready to make mobile phone history in partnership with Motricity for content specially geared toward our audience."

The new offering will be promoted with in-show mentions on BET's most popular music video shows 106 & PARK, BET'S TOP 10 LIVE and RAP CITY. Dedicated advertising is also planned on both BET and BET.com. The BET Mobile offering will immediately be accessible by subscribers using Cingular/AT&T Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile wireless services. In the first quarter of 2006, customers using Verizon and Alltel will be able to access BET's wireless content.

"BET's move to extend its brand and content beyond its traditional channels to the wireless network is a bold and smart move," explained Roger Entner, vice president of Wireless Telecom for Ovum. "BET and other media companies are beginning to see the potential revenue and consumer loyalty advantages that platforms like Motricity's Fuel make possible. In turn, Motricity is broadening its footprint within the mobile ecosystem by accelerating the availability of off-net content with existing wireless data services."

"For the past 25 years, BET has been a pioneer in programming and has created the most widely recognized consumer brand in the urban marketplace. BET continues to serve as a model in the delivery of quality content and creation of meaningful experiences for its audiences," said Ryan Wuerch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Motricity. "While many media and broadcast companies are seeing advertising revenue from the promotion of ring tones and mobile content, visionary companies like BET are quickly realizing the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and the magnitude of the consumer loyalty that can be achieved by launching an integrated mobile service."

Motricity's Fuel technology delivers mobile content to millions of consumers via one of the industry's most scalable platform technology and wireless networks quickly, cost-effectively and reliably. In concert, the company's advanced merchandizing and marketing services allow media companies to market content effectively through near real-time data and expand addressable markets through relevant, personalized and dynamic content segmented for specific subscribers. Through its advanced content management capabilities and support for all major devices, manufacturers and content types, Motricity ensures that mobile content will be compatible with consumers' handsets and enables consumers to receive the right mobile content at the right time, every time.

ABOUT BET

BET, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA; VIA.B), is the nation's leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. The BET Network reaches more than 80 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is a dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks -- BET Jazz, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; and BET Event Productions, specializing in a full range of event production services, including event management, venue selection, talent recruitment, sound, lighting and stage production.

ABOUT MOTRICITY

As one of the world's leading mobile content and solutions providers, Motricity's technology solutions enable consumers to receive the right mobile content at the right time, every time. By offering technology and services that unify the mobile content ecosystem, Motricity creates a highly compelling user experience and delivers more profitable mobile content offerings for partners such as BET, Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, China Unicom, O2, Amazon.com, Palm and a network of consumer Web sites, including eReader.com and PalmGear.com. Motricity is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., and has offices in Beijing, London, Munich and San Diego. For more information, please visit http://www.motricity.com/.

Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Michael Lewellen of BET, +1-202-608-2003,
michael.lewellen@bet.net, Les Hamashima of Motricity, +1-919-699-4749,
les.hamashima@motricity.com, or Marisa Conway, +1-212-771-3639,
mconway@brodeur.com, for Motricity

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.motricity.com/

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