--Channel will also Feature User-Generated Video, Including Ads
On September 6th, MTV Networks UK & Ireland will launch a channel, MTV Flux, which it says will allow its viewers to control its programming schedule. A key element of the new channel is an online community, whose registered members will be able to vote to determine the channel's content and will also be able to upload their own videos for broadcast on the channel (note: MTV says that the channel will additionally feature user-generated advertising). The community, registration for which is free of charge, launched August 1st. When they register, end-users are asked to create a personalized avatar, which will become their on-screen identity: they first select a basic avatar design, which they can then manipulate into a unique image. The basic avatars, which were designed by Nexus (their design references Japanese manga) and animated in 3D by DA Group, are able to walk, talk and show emotions. According to MTV, the more frequently end-users participate in Flux, the more screentime they will receive for their avatar and the greater say they will have in what appears on the Flux linear TV channel. In addition to interacting with the Flux Web site to control the playlist for the linear channel, registered members can interact with one another by texting their avatars, and will be able to send text messages to the channel for display on the TV screen. "In launching MTV Flux, MTV is challenging the status quo in TV programming and transferring control directly to its audience," Angel Gambino, VP of commercial strategy and digital media at MTV Networks UK & Ireland, said in a prepared statement. "MTV has always had an unparalleled relationship with our viewers and with MTV Flux we are confident that the service is exactly the kind of 360 degree, immersive and interactive music and entertainment experience our audience is seeking. Flux will genuinely allow British youth to express themselves and inspire each other across multiple platforms. Flux changes the rules of user-generated content and community Web sites: the launch of MTV Flux ushers in a new era in user-generated content and adds a whole new dimension to the concept of social networking."
This article was originally published on August 9, 2006 within the [itvt] newsletter.
Click http://www.itvt.com to subscribe to our free email newsletter, which contains all the news stories you see on this Web site, and additional breaking news and scoops, in-depth features, interviews, screenshots, videos, and other exclusive content you will not find anywhere else.
