MTV Announces Three New Digital Channels

MTV has announced the anticipated details of its three new digital television channels (see Newsline). The three channels will be called MTV Extra, MTV Base and VH1 Classic, and are initially expected to launch on Sky Digital by the summer. Distribution for the new channels will then roll out via analogue and digital cable networks in the UK, and on further analogue and digital cable and satellite platforms throughout Europe.

Content wise, the new channels will develop the already established content of the other three MTV channels – MTV, VH1 and M2 – and be more specialist. MTV Base will focus on R&B, rap and dance. VH1 Classic will use the VH1 brand, but look at older music, rather than contemporary material. MTV Extra intends to take the best content from MTV UK & Ireland, and deliberately counter-schedules to contrast and complement the main MTV schedule. So, for example, if MTV is playing a game show such as Singled Out, MTV Extra could be playing a chart rundown such as Hitlist UK, and vice versa.

Michiel Bakker, managing director, MTV Networks UK, commented: “We believe that a broader portfolio of music television channels will mean that the total potential audience for music television will increase. While we expect each of the channels will individually build their own dedicated fan bases, we believe that the careful segmentation of key elements of the audience will actually grow the appeal of the music television genre as a whole. The new channels will appeal to a new and growing audience of music lovers, providing us with unequalled opportunities for promoting music in the UK and Ireland.”

MTV: 0171 284 7777