Zingy dials up celebs for cell-phone content.(Brief article)

Daily Variety, March, 2006 by Zeitchik, Steven

Zingy, the company that helped make ringtones a phenomenon, is getting into the mobile-video biz. Firm has inked an exclusive pact with Bernie Mac for a series of original mobile-only sketches and has two other deals with undisclosed celebs in which the content is in post-production, according to Zingy execs.

Zingy is one of several distributors that bridges the gap between the entertainment and mobile worlds by going directly to talent. Until now, it has concentrated mostly on music and musicvideos. But company says it wants to move into original scripted entertainment, despite the fact that nonmusic content may not lend itself to the personalization that made ringtones a cash cow. Through star power and carriers' marketing reach,...