MTV, VH1, Comedy Central & mtvU Debut Broadband Networks On Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
15 October 2005 - 2:33AM
PR Newswire (US)
Broadband Channels Join Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Family, Connecting PCs, TVs & Xbox 360 Gaming Consoles To
Create One Complete Digital Entertainment Experience NEW YORK, Oct.
14 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks and Microsoft Corp. announced the
next phase of their ongoing partnership today, expanding the reach
of the MTV Networks broadband channels into every room in the house
through Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PCs. With a
Media Center Edition PC and an Xbox 360 game console or a Media
Center Extender, users will have the ability to seamlessly switch
between a standard TV experience and on demand broadband
programming without ever leaving the couch. Broadband channel "MTV
Overdrive" will debut on Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PCs
beginning today. VH1's "VSpot," Comedy Central's soon to launch
broadband channel, and the new "mtvU" broadband service will also
debut on Media Center PCs early next year. Each MTV Networks
broadband service will revolutionize the digital entertainment
experience for its respective audience -- delivering a vast catalog
of content to Media Center Edition users including exclusive
performances, regularly updated news features, show content, movie
trailers, music videos, games, and much more. The broadband
channels will be available through "Online Spotlight," a
convenient, central location where customers can discover the
latest software and services designed for Media Center customers
including MTV and others. "Our audiences want to connect with our
content on every platform they interact with-linear television,
broadband, online, radio, and now on PCs that run Windows XP Media
Center. Today's announcement helps fulfill our multiplatform
entertainment promise," said Van Toffler, President of MTV Networks
Music, Films & Logo Group. "The distinction between TV and
broadband programming is becoming less important to our viewers,
and the Media Center Edition platform is helping to take the entire
entertainment experience to the next level." "Comedy Central
viewers are by nature early adopters and avid users of advanced
communications technologies and they expect to access our content
when they want it, where they want it and how they want it," said
Doug Herzog, President of Comedy Central. "Windows XP Media Center
Edition will optimize our soon-to-launch broadband channel by
providing our users a variety of gateways to access Comedy Central
content whether it's short and long form video, audio or text."
"The Microsoft and MTV relationship will provide Media Center PC
customers with a new level of entertainment," said Joe Belfiore,
general manager, Windows Media Center. "MTV Networks provides
hundreds of millions of viewers with compelling and innovative
entertainment content every day. We are thrilled to have MTV choose
Windows XP Media Center Edition to expand their service and offer
customers' access to their favorite programming in new and
innovative ways." Media Center Edition PCs deliver advanced
computing plus easy-to-use integrated digital entertainment -- live
and recorded television, movies, music, photos and radio -- that
you can enjoy when and how you want. All your digital media is in
one place, accessible on either a PC monitor or TV display, using a
single remote control. With Media Center Edition, you can pause and
rewind live television or radio, digitally record an entire TV
series or program category, watch DVDs and videos, organize and
play your music collection, and showcase digital photos. Since its
launch online in April of this year, "MTV Overdrive"
(overdrive.mtv.com) has received both critical and widespread
acclaim as an industry leading broadband content provider. Most
recently, "Overdrive" finished out Q3 with more than 47 million
streams of music videos, MTV News, and companion programming
content. Specifically, "Overdrive" delivered 13 million unique
streams of its "My VMA" content during its 30 day-run, giving fans
the opportunity to relive exclusive performances from the 2005
Video Music Awards, stream interviews with artists, and check out
the VMA fashions from the white carpet. "MTV Overdrive" also
premiered the next generation of MTV's famous performance series,
"Unplugged" hosting the incomparable Alicia Keys. In just one week,
"Overdrive" recorded over 1 million streams of the "Unplugged"
performance, making it the most popular programming on the
broadband network for that time period. Launched in July of this
year, VH1's broadband entertainment network Vspot (vspot.vh1.com)
offers distinct channels of original and exclusive music and pop
culture programming that allows VH1's upscale adult audience to
take VH1 with them wherever they go. Vspot debuted with the first
episode of the VH1 series "Surreal Life 5" three days before the
series premiered on the VH1 linear network. Music artists sound off
in original franchises such as "Artist 2 Artist" and "Take 2." In
September, Vspot extended VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" event with
elements such as "VIP Pass" which featured behind-the-scenes action
hosted by MC Lyte and an exclusive performance on the "gold carpet"
by artist David Banner -- all resulting in a six-fold increase in
normal traffic. mtvU (http://www.mtvu.com/), MTV's 24 hour college
network, launched MTV Networks' first channel distributed in its
entirety over broadband and streaming 24/7 on October 10th. Through
non-stop streaming service that can be watched continuously, or by
using unique on-demand capabilities empowering visitors to
customize their experience, mtvU's broadband platform showcases a
powerful line-up of original programming serving as a gateway to
the latest new music, as well as a source for one of a kind student
produced content that will drive and direct the network. About MTV
Networks: MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc., is one
of the world's leading creators of programming and content across
all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 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, LOGO, MTVN
INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of
13 digital services, all of these networks are trademarks of MTV
Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its
robust consumer products businesses and its more than 80
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. About Microsoft Founded
in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and Internet technologies for personal and
business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and
services designed to empower people through great software -- any
time, any place and on any device. DATASOURCE: MTV CONTACT: Jeannie
Kedas of MTV, +1-212-846-4629, or ; or David French of MTV/mtvU,
+1-212-846-6698, or ; or Brett Henne of VH1, +1-212-846-6752, or
Web site: http://www.mtv.com/ http://www.mtvu.com/
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