Tonight Show coming to a phone near you

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on January 6th, 2006

This year’s Comdex (weren’t they just saying a year or two ago that Comdex was no more?) brings us this account of the latest developments in the brave new world of electronics. Under the cumbersome headline, “Amp’d Mobile Announces Industry’s Most Comprehensive Mobile Entertainment Content Offering,” comes word of yet another revenue stream for the nets and the cable outlets:

Amp’d is taking a “DVD extra” approach to much of the entertainment content it provides to members, rather than simple show synopsis clips offered by other providers. Each program has its own “channel” where only Amp’d members will see bloopers, cast interviews, uncensored and extended footage, and other behind the scenes shots plus select previews of new shows. Games, wallpapers, ringtones, voicetones and screensavers related to each show property round out brand channels. Beginning later this quarter, Amp’d members will also be able to view full episodes of television shows and “side load” them to Amp’d handsets from PCs. Once side-loaded, Amp’d customers will be able to then pull the DVD Extra footage related to each full episode, as well as content from current episodes, over-the-air to each program’s brand channel in the Amp’d Live proprietary user interface.

Is it time to examine the contract they push in front of you the next time you do that Tonight Show? Or is this just another over-hyped, yet underdeveloped, way for the biggies to make a nickel or two with re-runs?

Just a few weeks ago, we were getting dire warnings in our inbox telling us not to sign any pieces of paper from unscrupulous wireless service providers who offered us pennies (or less!) in exchange for “exposure.” We were of the opinion that decisions like that one were best left to each individual comic. (And that anyone dumb enough to use “the Ex-Word”– exposure– was probably a piker with little more than that other “Ex-Word”– exploitation– on his mind.)

This newest development, however, involves some heavyweight outlets. And it’s much harder to tell NBC Universal to go piss up a thin rope if there’s a line or two in the contract about “a completely fresh user interface designed specifically for the third-generation technology,” especially when they’re offering Exposure that really lives up to the title.

We figure this will all be hashed out in sterile courtrooms, with fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, by Armani-clad AFTRA lawyers a coupla years hence– if the fresh user interface designed specifically for the third-generation technology actually catches on with the public. And the result will be a somewhat fatter check for that Tonight appearance.

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