Tag: MTV.com

  • MTV, Verizon Wireless launch live music series ‘MTV Live’

    MTV, Verizon Wireless launch live music series ‘MTV Live’

    MUMBAI: MTV and Verizon Wireless announced a new event series titled ‘MTV Live’ featuring live artist performances from the big names in music. The monthly series will be recorded in front of a live audience at the Hard Rock Café in New York and will be presented as a multi-platform program across MTV, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Tr3s, MTV.com and on MTV Mobile on V CAST.

    ‘MTV Live’ powered by Verizon Wireless will premiere the first episode on 6 February at 11:30 pm with a commercial free performance by Fall Out Boy.

    Artists Nas, Akon, and Gym Class Heroes have been booked for future shows.
     
    ‘MTV Live’ will be specifically customized for each screen. In-show features will include a live text-to-screen element that will allow Verizon Wireless subscribers to submit comments and shout-outs from their cell phones that will appear as a crawl across the bottom of the screen in real-time during the show.

    Additionally, video footage shot on cell phones during the performance will be edited into several of the platform offerings. MTV Mobile on V CAST will feature exclusive performance content from each show and will also offer artist interview segments. “MTV Live” will be available online at http://www.mtvlive.mtv.com/.
     
    “MTV Live is a new way for us to connect music fans with their favorite artists by incorporating a wide variety of on-air, online and on-mobile elements throughout every show,” said MTV President Christina Norman. “This partnership with Verizon Wireless enables us to make the biggest footprint for the artists across multiple screens and really bring the live performance experience to our audience on different devices.”

    “MTV and Verizon Wireless are two powerful brands, with significant relationships in this rapidly changing music landscape,” says MTV senior vice president integrated marketing Tim Rosta. “This program will result in a strategic alliance that will amplify these relationships and bring new music to a larger audience.”

  • MTV looks to stay ahead of digital curve in India

    MTV looks to stay ahead of digital curve in India

    MUMBAI: Even as the big media companies gather their forces for the upcoming battles for mind share in the new digital world, each are going about it in different ways. The aim is common to all of them though – multiplatform strategies of building an engaging universe of music, gaming, entertainment, news and interactivity for targeted audiences.

    And, while India may not be where the major digital battles are fought any time in the near future, MTV for one is attempting to stay ahead of the curve and preparing for more change by introducing new mobile and online services for the ‘networked generation’.

    For MTV Networks International senior vice president (digital media) Gideon Bierer, with opportunities unfolding, the country is approaching an inflexion point as regards the digital content delivery story. Bierer believes that new digital services will begin to be introduced in a significant way from next year on but it could take anywhere between three to five years for it to get serious penetration in India.

    Queried about revenue streams, Bierer said that like in television subscriptions and advertising would form the main component and digital services also offered revenue opportunities through transactions.

    For MTV, the aim is clearly to be the first mover in the digital space and helping it respond to changing tastes and compete with the internet and downloading could be channels like Flux, where the schedule is driven by the public. Flux, the multi-platform social-networking digital service originated by MTV Networks International in Japan last June, is launching in the UK & Ireland markets on 6 September. It is also being introduced in Italy around the same time.

    Flux is positioned as a digital community and content integrated youth service that enables viewers to access short videos and music through their mobiles or computers, make recommendations to others and provide feedback. The channel will be aiming to attract the key 13 to 34-year-old demographic.

    There is also the hybrid channel MTV Overdrive launched last April. Available through mtv.com, the initiative is aimed at entertaining viewers with both a linear viewing experience and video on demand capabilities in one web-based application. MTV Overdrive’s lineup features news, music, on tv and movies among the services it offers.

    Now while all this sounds very nice, what a certain Rupert Murdoch would have to say about all this remains to be seen. For in the west where the digital skirmishes are already on in full swing, it is News Corp’s Myspace that is creating the most frenzy among the demographic that MTV has “owned” for nigh on 25 years. In India, only time will tell whether MTV is able to square up to the Star juggernaught, which has already declared aggressive intent in this domain.

  • Paramount Pictures to premiere ‘M:i:III’ trailer across MTV Networks

    Paramount Pictures to premiere ‘M:i:III’ trailer across MTV Networks

    MUMBAI: Paramount Pictures will premiere an exclusive look at this summer’s most highly anticipated action-thriller, Mission: Impossible III (M:i:III) as Tom Cruise introduces the new trailer across MTV Networks on 16 March.

    The trailer will air simultaneously on MTV, MTV2, VH1, CMT, BET and Spike TV on 16 March, one day before it runs in any movie theater. The exclusive material will also be available on the internet at mtv.com, mtv2.com, vh1.com, cmt.com, spiketv.com, and at iFilm.

    The film, starring Tom Cruise and directed by J.J. Abrams, the creator of Lost and Alias, opens in theaters in the US on 5 May 2006.

    Paramount Pictures president of worldwide motion picture marketing Gerry Rich said, “Tom and J.J. have come through with an amazing action movie and we think viewers across MTV networks will agree that M:i:III is the first must-see event film of the summer. When you’ve got the goods, it’s exciting to be able to share it with the audience in a special way. We’re thrilled to be pulling out all the stops with our partners at the MTV Networks.”

    Cruise returns as special agent Ethan Hunt, who faces the mission of his life in Mission: Impossible III. Abrams brings his unique blend of action and drama to the billion-dollar franchise.