• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, April 1, 2008

[Mobile] Mobile search and ad provider JumpTap has signed deals to handle mobile advertising for NBC Universal and Fox.

Under the NBC agreement, JumpTap will sell and serve ads on the network's mobile sites for hit shows including "Heroes," "The Office," the SciFi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica," Bravo's "Project Runway" and "Top Chef," and USA Network's "Monk and "Psych."

JumpTap will also take on ad sales for mobile properties tied to NBC Sports and Universal Pictures.

For Fox, JumpTap will be responsible for advertising on the Fox Mobile Entertainment Network, which includes mobile channels for "The Simpsons," "24," "Family Guy," FX's "Nip/Tuck," NASCAR and the National Geographic Channel's "Dog Whisperer."

Advertising across the two networks' mobile sites will span exclusive banner ad sponsorships, SMS text-messaging campaigns and text ads.

"These deals reinforce our position in the mobile ecosystem between advertisers and publishers and operators and users," said Paran Johar, chief marketing officer for JumpTap. "We're going to focus on large-scale, mobile-only campaigns."

JumpTap says that it reaches 140 million wireless subscribers through partnerships with 16 mobile operators and content providers including The Associated Press, AccuWeather.com and Superpages.com.

The company supplies white-label search to U.S. and European carriers including Alltel Wireless and Virgin Mobile.

With data from its carrier and publishing partners, Johar said JumpTap can target mobile advertising according to demographic and behavioral criteria. It will also place advertising on carrier "decks" as well as off-deck. "We're transitioning to an integrated approach," said Johar, whose company has in the past mainly provided search and ad services on operator menus.

WPP Group took a 2.5% stake in JumpTap in early 2007, aiming to get a foothold in the emerging mobile advertising business.