NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp has taken full ownership of mobile content provider Jamba by buying VeriSign Inc's 49 percent stake for about $200 million, the two companies said on Tuesday.
Jamba makes content such as wallpapers, ringtones and games for mobile phones. It also offers short episodes -- called "mobisodes" -- of some Fox TV series, including "24," "Prison Break" and "Bones," for phones.


Internet security company VeriSign has been trying to divest its slower-growing businesses to focus on its core website-naming and Internet security services.

In August, VeriSign Chief Executive James Bidzos said the divestiture process was hurt by the economic slowdown and would take longer than expected.

Shares of VeriSign rose 5.5 percent in early morning trade Tuesday on the Nasdaq following news of the Jamba sale. News Corp shares fell 1 percent, in line with the shares of other media companies.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp bought 51 percent of Jamba from VeriSign for about $188 million in 2007, when the two formed a joint venture. News Corp combined the joint venture with its Fox Mobile Entertainment unit.

In 2004, VeriSign acquired Jamba, then based in Berlin, Germany, for about $273 million. The company is now dual-headquartered in Berlin and Beverly Hills, California.

(Reporting by S John Tilak; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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