MTV Networks Highlights Success of Short-Form Music Videos, User-Generated Content, Comedy and 'Sharts' on Wireless Platform

MTV Networks Highlights Success of Short-Form Music Videos, User-Generated Content, Comedy and 'Sharts' on Wireless Platform

LL Cool J Makes Surprise Appearance, Joins MTV Networks Music Group President Van Toffler at CTIA Wireless 2006 Keynote

For Month of March, MTV Networks Serves Up 2.5 Million Wireless Video Streams, an All-time High

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:VIA)(NYSE: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.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Matt Hutchison, MTV, +1-212-846-8052,
Matthew.Hutchison@mtvstaff.com; Jeannie Kedas, MTV, +1-212-846-4629,
jeannie.kedas@mtvstaff.com

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/

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