MTV Networks Highlights Success of Short-Form Music Videos, User-Generated Content, Comedy and 'Sharts' on Wireless Platform
April 06 2006 - 1:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
LL Cool J Makes Surprise Appearance, Joins MTV Networks Music Group
President Van Toffler at CTIA Wireless 2006 Keynote LAS VEGAS,
April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- In his keynote address at CTIA Wireless
2006, MTV Networks Music Group President Van Toffler highlighted
the appeal of short-form video from the MTV, VH1, CMT, COMEDY
CENTRAL, Logo and Spike TV brands on the wireless platform, which
he called a "rich, creative medium" for new and emerging talent to
connect with and cultivate new audiences. To underscore that point,
Toffler welcomed surprise guest, Def Jam recording artist LL Cool
J, to the stage. LL offered an advance look at an upcoming episode
of MTV's "Life & Rhymes," which chronicles his life as an
artist and is set to debut April 10 on MTV, MTV's broadband channel
"Overdrive," and on MTV Mobile. Audiences have increasingly
embraced MTV Networks' diverse array of mobile programming. For the
month of March, MTV Networks streamed nearly 2.5 million videos
cross-carrier, an all-time high, Toffler reported, adding that the
number is growing by nearly 40 percent month-to-month for the first
three months of 2006. "Our audience is responding in droves to our
mobile programming," Toffler said. "They have a personal
relationship with our brands and they increasingly want to consume
our content on the handset, the new 'holy grail' of electronic
devices." LL Cool J echoed that sentiment, adding: "The mobile
phone helps me establish closer ties with my fans, connect with new
ones and hopefully inspire everyone I touch through my music. The
cell phone -- which has become the accessory for today's young
adults -- is one way that helps me reach them." Among the varied
types of mobile programming driving audience consumption are music
videos, comedy segments, user-generated content, scenes from
television shows, 'after shows' developed exclusively for mobile,
never- before-seen outtakes, and short art breaks, also known as
"sharts," featuring animated and live-action segments. In many
respects, the burgeoning mobile platform is a return to MTV
Networks' early roots, when MTV gained significant notoriety for
the five- and 15-second art breaks created by brilliant, young
talent and which lived between the music videos. For the MTVN Music
Group, which encompasses the CMT, MTV and VH1 brands, three types
of programming -- extensions of on-air franchises; made-for-mobile
episodes; and music -- are all performing well on the mobile
platform. -- Extensions of On-air Franchises -- VH1's 'Flavor of
Love,' the most successful show in that channel's history, was also
the most popular VH1 Mobile content in February and March. -- 'Web
Junk 20,' also on VH1 and VH1 Mobile, ushered in the user-generated
era to TV and simultaneously to mobile phones. -- CMT recently
debuted 100 clips for the hit series 'Cowboy U,' the original
reality series now in its sixth season. -- Made-for-Mobile
Programming -- MTV will showcase a 20-year-old college student's
visual interpretation using stick figures based on the lyrics of
Fall Out Boy's "Sugar We're Going Down," representing original
user-generated content. -- VH1 is debuting 'Dingo Ate My Video,' a
made-for-mobile series that combines VH1's comedic voice with music
videos from a wide range of artists, including Green Day, Missy
Elliot, Jewel and others. -- And CMT soon will debut a
made-for-mobile reality series called 'Road Hammers' about a
southern rock/blues band trying to make it in the music business.
-- Music -- Labels and artists like LL Cool J increasingly are
embracing the mobile platform to connect with fans and institute
new marketing paradigms. -- The Arctic Monkey's new video, "I Bet
You Look Good on the Dancefloor," made its debut on: mtvU, MTV's
network for college students; mtvU's Uber broadband network;
mtvU.com and mtvU wireless. -- The approach mirrored a similar one
taken by VH1 last fall, which debuted "Te Amo Corazon," the new
Prince single, on VH1, VH1's VSPOT broadband channel, and VH1
Mobile. The Prince debut marked the world's first-ever multimedia,
multiplatform worldwide exclusive premiere. -- Prior to releasing
her latest single and album, Madonna distributed an exclusive
ringtone for "Hung Up," on MTV Mobile and VH1 Mobile. -- CMT Mobile
has premiered nearly a dozen full-length music videos through its
'UNCORKED' franchise from such artists as Dolly Parton, Billy Joe
Shaver and Neil Young. Among the other news MTV Networks is
announcing this week: -- Spike TV is delivering the Ultimate
Fighting Championship's(R) 'Ultimate Fight Night(TM) Live' to Amp'd
Mobile subscribers tonight. This represents the first time the live
sporting event is being simulcast to both mobile devices and to
television subscribers. -- COMEDY CENTRAL and VH1 on Tuesday
announced plans for the launch of COMEDY CENTRAL's "Take Out" and
VH1 Mobile's "Pocket VH1," preeminent applications that enable
mobile users to access the networks' content from a centrally
located hub on their wireless devices. Beginning in May, COMEDY
CENTRAL's "Take Out" and VH1 Mobile's "Pocket VH1" applications
will be available cross-carrier. Sprint will be the first carrier
to launch both applications and will offer them exclusively for
four weeks on select Sprint phones. -- COMEDY CENTRAL on Monday
introduced "The Clip Joint," a made-for-mobile program featuring
some of New York's top stand-up comics -- including Aziz Ansari and
Jessi Klein among others -- doing their best alternative material
in front of a live audience. -- Logo, MTV Networks' channel for
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender viewers, on Monday announced
the world's first LGBT portable entertainment service with
'LOGOmotion' on Amp'd Mobile. Viewers can now watch such hits as
'Noah's Arc' on their handsets. MTV Networks' success in
programming for the wireless platform is a result of the company's
strategic commitment to developing content for all screens. "The
wireless platform is as important to us as television and computer
screens," Toffler said. "As soon as we start developing a new
concept, we think beyond the television. We think of how that idea
can live on broadband and mobile." MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom
(NYSE:VIANYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of
programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks,
with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the
following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION,
MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV
LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL
and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital
services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV
Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer
products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties
worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive
television services and also has licensing agreements, joint
ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming
services can be seen worldwide. DATASOURCE: MTV Networks CONTACT:
Matt Hutchison, MTV, +1-212-846-8052, ; Jeannie Kedas, MTV,
+1-212-846-4629, Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
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