News Corp’s next MySpace move

Rose Major

News Corp’s next idea for its flagship new media brand MySpace seems decidedly old media: rolling its local advertising, marketing and promotion in with Fox International Channels (FIC) across a number of territories.

FIC, which operates 170 linear and non-linear TV services, their respective websites and an international online advertising business, will manage marketing and ad sales for MySpace in Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Poland, Mexico and Turkey. The move, says MySpace, effectively “expands the local reach of MySpace with advertisers in these territories”.

The new partnership will lead to reduced operating costs and, adds the company, will “better leverage our local knowledge and relationships.”

Owen Van Natta, Chief Executive Officer of MySpace, said: “This initiative, which is the first result of our international operational review, will allow MySpace to continue serving the needs of our users, partners and advertisers across some of our fastest growing territories.”

Hernan Lopez, COO of FIC, said: “We’re delighted to work with MySpace’s international operations across Europe and Latin America. We look forward to jointly leveraging our Internet and advertising expertise to create meaningful experiences for MySpace’s international audience and its many global advertisers and affiliates.”