MTV have entered a partnership with technology firm KDDI to provide a new mobile based music and entertainment channel in Japan. To be called Flux, the new service will offer Japanese music fans video clips, full track downloads, anime and a number of interactive functions.
Japan is a good market for testing this kind of mobile media, with content based services much more established there and a consumer base seemingly hungry for new rich-media channels to access via their phones. MTV owner Verizon will be sure to use the Japanese channel to test what kinds of interactivity work, and what length of video content works in the mobile arena, before expanding the service into other territories around the world.
At launch the Japanese service will cost subscribers 315 yen ($3) a month.