• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, January 25, 2006

Music television network fuse has tapped InfoSpace to provide ring tones and other mobile content, the companies announced Tuesday.

Starting next quarter, when fuse airs select music videos, the network will also give viewers the option of immediately purchasing corresponding ring tones via shortcode, said Lisa Choi Owens, vice president of business development for fuse.

Viewers also will be able to purchase ring tones or other mobile content, including graphics and games, from fuse's Web site.

The company hasn't yet decided how often it will promote ring tones--or other mobile content related to the TV content--on the air. "We don't want to inundate the viewer," Choi Ownens said, adding that decisions about how to sell ring tones and other mobile downloads on the air would be up to fuse producers.

Given InfoSpace's large catalog of ring tones, Choi Owens said she expects that there will be a large overlap between the videos shown on fuse and the available ring tones.

To date, fuse has offered some ring tones on its Web site, but this deal will mark the first time that fuse will sell mobile downloads via television, Choi Owens said.

Tom Nelms, director, entertainment media at InfoSpace, said the company is in discussions about similar deals with other networks.

InfoSpace's mobile download business has been growing recently. In the third quarter, mobile revenues surged to $39 million, up from $25.1 million in the third quarter of 2004. InfoSpace is slated to release fourth-quarter results today.