DoCoMo to spend US$177 million on stake in Fuji TV

NTT DoCoMo Inc, the world's second-biggest mobile phone operator, will spend ¥20.7 billion (US$177 million) for a 2.6 percent stake in Fuji Television Network Inc to develop services for digital TV programs on cellular handsets.

DoCoMo will acquire 77,000 shares of Fuji Television as of Jan. 11 next year, the company said in a release distributed at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

"DoCoMo and Fuji Television have been exchanging ideas on how to merge telecommunications and broadcast," Tokyo-based DoCoMo said.

"The relationship is expected to become more intimate as we prepare for terrestrial digital television programs starting this April. We'll together develop new services," the company said.

Japanese wireless operators such as DoCoMo and KDDI Corp have developed handsets that can receive digital television broadcasts. DoCoMo has said it may make money by selling advertising and linking to Web sites related to broadcasts available on its handsets.

"It's possible we may link the digital broadcast to our i-mode, wallet-phones or audio-visual services through this partnership, but no details have been decided yet," DoCoMo spokesman Masanori Goto said.

DoCoMo developed i-mode technology in 1999, the world's first wireless Internet service. The company is also trying to spread the use of "wallet phones," which let customers pay for tickets and snacks at retailers with their handsets.

"We won't deny the possibilities of tie-ups with other broadcasters, including chances of capital alliances if necessary," Goto said.

Tokyo-based Fuji, Japan's biggest broadcaster, earlier this year faced a hostile takeover bid from Japanese Internet company Livedoor Co, which tried to buy its radio affiliate Nippon Broadcasting System Inc in February. Fuji Television in April paid Livedoor about ¥147.4 billion to end a two-month battle.