In news that should encourage consumer electronics manufacturers at this week's CES to develop more devices capable of receiving mobile DTV services, one of the major groups backing the technology, the Mobile500 Alliance has announced that it has rapidly expanded its membership since it first launched in September of 2010. The group now represents broadcast companies that own stations in 92% of the country.
The Mobile500 Alliance, which is chaired by Fisher Communications CEO Colleen Brown, launched in September with 30 broadcast companies as members and has since grown to 43 companies that own and operate 414 commercial television stations.
Recently, the group also opened its membership to public television licensees and hired John Lawson, a digital media innovator and founding board member of the Open Mobile Video Coalition, to be its executive director.
The Mobile500 Alliance along with Mobile Content Venture, another consortium of broadcasters, are both working to develop business models and alliances with content providers, networks, device manufacturers and technology suppliers to speed the development of mobile DTV services.
Mobile500 members already are broadcasting Mobile DTV on seven television stations, with more launches planned for this year.
