MTV plans "social networking" tv channel

from yahoo

MTV bringing social networking to TV channel
By Jeffrey Goldfarb

MTV Networks is launching a TV channel that features user-generated

weberm...

Didn't AlGore already do this? IIRC, it's floundering.

video clips and messages, becoming the latest media giant to embrace
the social networking craze and the first to adapt it to traditional
broadcasting.

Consumers will be able to choose which music videos are played on the
channel, upload their own clips, send on-screen messages using mobile
phones and communicate with each other with self-created avatars --
graphical representations of participants -- resembling Japanese
animation.

The new site is to be called Flux and will be available from August 1.
The accompanying TV channel, also being launched by MTV's UK & Ireland
arm, will start broadcasting on September 6, MTV Networks said on
Monday.

MTV, owned by New York-based media conglomerate Viacom Inc., hopes to
capitalize on the global popularity of its 25-year-old brand that
continues to resonate with teenagers.

"MTV is challenging the status quo in TV programming and transferring
control directly to its audience," said Angel Gambino, vice president
of commercial strategy and digital media for MTV Networks UK &
Ireland.

Both the Flux TV channel and the Web site will carry advertising, but
there will be no charge for using the Web site or uploading videos, a
spokesman said.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. embraced social networking by acquiring
MySpace, the most popular such Web site, while start-ups such as
YouTube and Bebo have quickly become consumer favorites, too.

MTV's model draws on similar ideas it has tested in Japan, the
Netherlands and Italy. The network already has nine music channels in
the UK and Ireland, as well as comedy channel Paramount and kids
channel Nickelodeon.