Opportunities with Mobile TV

Change that’s been caused by mobile can sometimes be very swift and loud, or something that happens quietly, starting at first slowly, and then there’s a watershed moment. This has been the case in respect to the cellular subscriptions (in the hundreds of thousands 15 years ago, nearing 5 Billion at this moment), SMS use, mobile internet use, and even mobiles replacing digital cameras.

In the case of these mobile disruptions, there’s always been ripe opportunity for enterprising persons to take what we knew, and then mix in the new, and create something new. I wonder what some of those opportunities would look like in respect to mobile TV?

Why mobile TV? Well, look at the announcement that Nokia made today in respect to a new mobile TV accessory. Given their projections towards the devices they will sell that would be compatible with this device (tens of millions per year), this could have a profound effect on our concept of TV.

We’d do best not to ignore some context here. The digital TV standard being used with the accessory (DVB-H) isn’t widely deployed all over the world – there are about a dozen or so regions that have it up and running now, and not too many of them seem to be advertising it as much. So, opportunity isn’t as obvious, but it is there for those areas where DVB-H is in play.

That being said, those who move first usually get the benefit of making (or breaking) the best impressions to the general public. Given what we know that’s happening around digital media, visual storytelling, and YouTube/Hulu’s redefinition of broadcast TV, what are some of the opportunities that lie out there for ministries who can use mobile TV as part of their communications and outreach strategies?

And if the opportunities are there, are you moving with them, or waiting until something else comes along validating your venture into another mobile disruption?