Social Networks and Mobile Networks Merging: MySpace Mobile Launches Monday Accross Carriers

In a trend I discussed a number of times on this blog, you can see how online social networks are continuing a direct play into becoming full fledged mobile services... Today Fox announced that MySpace Mobile will launch across all US carriers Monday... and this story touches another trend, the rise of mobile micro-targeted search...which will be the key play for the new mobile service. Both trends will have a serious impact on political outreach and political ad buying over time. Here is the story:

"Fox Interactive Media announced an advertising-funded mobile incarnation of its social networking service MySpace, part of parent company News Corp.'s wider bid to generate ad revenues via the mobile web. Fox Interactive Media already offers a premium MySpace Mobile service via operators including AT&T, Helio and Vodafone--the new ad-supported service set to launch Monday will operate across all U.S. carriers and will enable subscribers to send and receive messages and friend requests, comment on photos, post alerts, update blogs, and find and search for friends. At launch Fox Interactive Media will focus on sponsorships and banner ads, but eventually will move to more targeted advertising based on user registration data--local ads based on GPS data are also scheduled to follow.

In addition to the free MySpace service, Fox Interactive Media will introduce ad-funded mobile versions of FoxSports.com, gaming site IGN, movie site RottenTomatoes.com and AskMen.com--several local TV affiliates will also launch free sites, and in the weeks ahead, image-sharing site Photobucket will make its mobile debut as well."