MTV Networks and Amp'd Mobile Strike
First-of-Its-Kind Development Deal to Create and Distribute Original,
Made-for-Mobile Programming
Content to Appear Exclusively on MTV Networks
Channels on Amp’d Live
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES
January 10, 2007
In a first-of-its-kind deal for the industry,
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), and Amp’d
Mobile today announced they are working together to create and distribute
original made-for-mobile episodic series that will appear exclusively
on Amp’d. The development deal between MTV Networks and Amp’d
Mobile marks the first time a major media company and a mobile entertainment
provider have come together to create and distribute content made
specifically for the handset. The original programming will appear
on MTV Networks’ channels on Amp’d Live, Amp’d
Mobile’s entertainment portal.
The unique development deal
builds upon such recent successes as “Sucks Less, With Kevin
Smith” and “Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United
States.” “Sucks Less, with Kevin Smith” – one
of the most successful original series in mtvU’s history – features
iconoclastic filmmaker Kevin Smith teaching UCLA’s first-ever
mobile media production class where students write, shoot and produce
the series which premieres on Amp’d Mobile. “Sucks Less…” was
created in conjunction with mtvU, UCLA’s School of Theater,
Film and Television and Kevin Smith, who also served as Executive
Producer. MTV Networks’ COMEDY CENTRAL and Amp’d Mobile
recently announced that the original animated mobile series “Lil’ Bush:
Resident of the United States” was making the leap from mobile
to television – marking the first time that original content
created for the mobile space has crossed over to a linear channel.
The new series, originally produced for mobile by Amp’d Mobile
and comedy writer/producer Donick Cary, will be co-produced by Cary,
Amp’d, and COMEDY CENTRAL and is scheduled to launch later
this year.
“MTV Networks and Amp’d Mobile are building
an entirely new model for the creation, development and distribution
of short-form programming for consumers to access on their handset,” said
Greg Clayman, Senior Vice President of Mobile Media for MTV Networks.
“This
process also will help us cultivate an entirely new generation of
young filmmakers who are inspired to create works of art that can
live on any screen.” “In quarter four of last year,
Amp’d Mobile’s original content represented 39 percent
of all downloads,” said Seth Cummings, Senior Vice President
of Content Development & Programming for Amp’d Mobile. “Our
partnership with MTV Networks allows us to expand this category
while continuing to offer top television and film creators such
as Donick a blank slate to develop their pet projects into mobile.”
MTV
Networks’ channels on Amp’d include MTV, mtvU, VH1,
COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike and Logo. Under the deal, MTV Networks will
retain the rights to develop and cross-program the made-for-mobile
projects for television and other platforms. |