In the latest example of disintermediation, Hearst Publications, one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, announced 29 March 2006 the launch of its own mobile sites for Cosmopolitan, CosmoGIRL! and Seventeen and is selling branded content directly to consumers on any US network...

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Hearst is using the Bango Service to enable readers to easily obtain and pay for popular ringtones, wallpapers and horoscopes - right from their mobile phone. This direct-to-consumer approach means that anyone on any mobile network can now access a range of content through one simple call-to-action promoted on full-page ads in the magazines.

By using the Bango Service, Hearst is the first major publishing house in the United States to use the mobile internet to deliver the familiar 'browse and buy' shopping experience.

"By expanding into the mobile marketplace, we're giving Cosmopolitan, CosmoGIRL! and Seventeen readers instant access to what they love on their phone," said Glen Ellen Brown, Vice President of Brand Development, Hearst Magazines. "Bango enables us to market, sell and deliver our branded information, and content directly to mobile phone users on all mobile networks - that's great news for our readers."

Text link provides ease of entry

The sites are easy to use. Readers of Cosmopolitan, for example, text "cosmo" to 26766, and using Bango's technology receive back a link to the mobile site. From there, they can 'browse and buy' from a range of mobile consumables plus content such as fashion and beauty tips designed specifically for readers.

"The user experience is truly mobile because the entire process takes place on the handset - no PC is required," said Anil Malhotra, Bango vice president of alliances.

"Access is initiated by sending a text message," he continued "and once the site appears on the phone, it is optimized for the users' device. Bango detects which network the user is on and presents the optimal one-click payment method to make paying for content as easy as possible."

About Hearst:
Hearst Magazines is a unit of The Hearst Corporation, and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 19 U.S. titles and 145 international editions. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (76.3 million according to MIR, spring 2005). The company also publishes 19 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited.

About Bango:
Bango has developed and deployed an open, global infrastructure platform that enables content providers to market, sell and deliver their products and services directly to mobile phone users on all mobile networks using the mobile internet. This "direct-to-consumer" approach operates alongside the mobile operator's decks. Leading mobile operators including Cingular Wireless, Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and O2 work with Bango to accelerate the growth of their "direct-to-consumer" business. www.bango.com