• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, August 2, 2007

When News Corp. acquired mobile content purveyor Jamba almost a year ago, the potential to offer short clips of “The Simpsons” figured prominently in the synergy. The deal is finally paying off, with Jamster (the U.S. name for Jamba) now offering a trove of Simpsons mobile content in connection with the July 27 release of the movie version of the long-running Fox animated hit.

For a monthly $9.99 subscription, mobile customers will get credit for up to six downloads from a variety of Simpsons content, including ringtones, wallpapers and screensavers. So-called “Yellow Plan” subscribers will also get to play a mobile game from Electronic Arts in which Homer Simpson tries to save Springfield from a nuclear meltdown. Content will be refreshed each month and video clips are in the works.

The Simpsons content will be sold “off-deck” via Jamster.com and TheSimpsonsMobile.com. “If ‘The Simpsons’ does really well for Jamster/Jamba, it’ll make people more aware of direct-to-consumer and going around the carriers’ walled gardens,” says William Ho, senior analyst for wireless services at Current Analysis. “It also allows the content creator to keep more of the revenue.” That means more dollars for News Corp. and more doughnuts for Homer.