The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has published a report looking at the impact of ad-funded mobile entertainment (AFME) on the mobile entertainment market in the US. The report forecasts that the US AFME market will be worth a total of $336.35 million (168 million) by 2013, expanding the already burgeoning mobile entertainment market by 4.6%.
Brands subsidizing content will contribute the majority of the revenue ($262.7 million) as they look to capitalize on mobiles captive audience, with the remainder ($73.7 million) coming from premium content up-sells. Mobile video and TV will generate 41.4% of ad-funded revenues by 2013, with music generating 34.5% and games 24.1%.
AFME is just beginning in the US and its promise is clear, says MEG Global Chairman, Andrew Bud. Its contribution of $336.35 million by 2013 to the mobile entertainment business shows that it will have a real impact on the future of our industry.   
Since February 2008, MEF has provided the Industry with a roadmap of AFME for the on-portal mobile entertainment market in the UK and France. An AFME study on India will be released at CommunicAsia which runs from 17 20 June.
Since releasing the results of its industry survey on AFME in 2006, MEF has worked to ensure that ad-funded mobile entertainment services have the potential to redefine the way customers engage with and consume mobile content. The unique strengths of mobile to deliver targeted, location-based and real-time content has yet to be taken advantage of by the mobile industry, the MEF believes. It currently has two working groups comprised of industry leaders specifically examining the potential for AFME,  and looking at how this potential can be realized. The first working group is looking at developing metrics and measurement, while the second is looking at education. MEF will produce a lexicon and develop a guide setting out the different types of mobile content and examine how best services can be ad-funded and what the business models will look like.
MEF members can view the full report on the MEF website.