The Mobile Content Venture, a group of broadcasters betting on mobile DTV, have tapped interim co-general
managers of the venture and an executive steering committee, both heavy on NBC and Fox execs.
Heading the venture, which is currently testing mobile DTV in the Washington market, will be Erik Moreno, senior
vice president corporate development, for Fox Networks Group, and Salil Dalvi, senior vice president, mobile platform development, for NBCU Digital Distribution.
MCV is a joint venture of Fox, Ion, NBC and a group of nine TV station groups in a stand-alone entity, Pearl
Mobile DTV. Pearl comprises Belo Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps, Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television, Media
General, Meredith, Post-Newsweek Stations, and Raycom Media.
The goal is to create a nationwide mobile DTV service. The next big pieces of the puzzle will be lining up cellular carriers to offer the service, and getting TV tuners into handheld devices.
The new stearing committee comprises Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations; Rich Battista, executive vice president of News Corp.; David Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting; Roger Keating, senior vice president of Digital Media for Hearst Television; Brandon Burgess, chairman and CEO of Ion Television; Jean-Briac Perrette,
president of Digital and Affiliate Distribution for NBC Universal; and John Wallace, president of NBC Local
Media.
