Tribune Company, a leading US media company with businesses in broadcasting, publishing, and digital media, has become the latest Premium Member of the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) latest Premium Member, joining Alcatel-Lucent, Microsoft Advertising and Coca-Cola.

Launched in November 2009, the MMA’s Premium Membership is the highest-tier membership for companies wishing to establish an advanced global leadership position across the mobile marketing industry. It brings together “market-making” companies with the scale, scope, commitment and resources to effect genuine change. Premium Members commit to a long-term, concerted and collaborative effort, through the MMA, to help build the industry.

As a Premium Member, Tribune Company co-president and Los Angeles Times publisher and CEO, Eddy Hartenstein, will be appointed as an honorary member to the MMA Global Board. The MMA also announced today the creation of a Mobile Publishing Committee, and the appointment of Tribune Company as its chair. The committee is open to all MMA members. Initial goals include:

• Gaining a better understanding of market reaction and consumer engagement and interaction with content across a variety of mobile platforms;
• Exploring the development of unique mobile advertising models;
• Helping advance and define the future of publishing on mobile platforms while effecting genuine change.

“The Tribune Company is deeply committed to determining how best to harness the possibilities the mobile media industry offers,” says Hartenstein. “Joining the MMA ensures we can collaboratively advance development of mobile technology, business models, emerging content distribution channels and industry standards, with a keen eye on raising the awareness for, and value of, mobile marketing.”