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America’s Fox News Channel and U.K’s tabloid The Sun have made their entry into the Indian market, through PLUS, an on-device portal run by STAR (News - Alert) Mobile Entertainment (SME).

 

PLUS offers customers access to a variety of entertainment content and information services through a “point-click-go” interface icon on the cell phone. According to news reports, Mobile users who download PLUS on their cell phones can subscribe to general and business news from Fox, and lifestyle content from The Sun, along with several other services for a fee of Rs. 30 per month, which is less than a dollar. The media will be available for unlimited usage on PLUS.

 

Intially, Fox News Channel plans to offer real time news in the form of full-length stories in text along with graphs and images and later on it is planning to introduce short video content.

 

“PLUS will bring tailor-made short video content from Fox News like ‘Around the world in 70 seconds’ and business and sports wrap up, which will provide a comprehensive summary of news developments,” Viren Popli, senior vice-president at SME, told the press.

 

Popli added that cell phones, being the most convenient platform, makes this offering the best choice for Fox News Channel and The Sun.

 

Noting that Indian consumers are constantly seeking information on the US as it relates to the markets in India, Vipp Jaiswal, head of international affairs at Fox News Channel, commented, “It's quite obvious for us to come to India keeping in mind the kind of impact happenings in the US have on India.”

 

Informing about the company’s initiatives, Jaiswal told the Indian media that “there are plans to launch the Fox News channel in India, but as of now, there are no committed dates for this. The channel is also looking at Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia amongst other South Asian countries, for a presence,” said Jaiswal.

 

The Sun plans to target the young urban mobile users, and will be offering international lifestyle-related content. In the first phase, the application is expected to bring The Sun’s Page 3 wallpapers, and later provide access to news, sports and Hollywood-related content.

 

Sony Ericsson (News - Alert) has partnered with SME to have the PLUS application embedded in Cyber Shot and Walkman handsets.