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April 2008 - Strategy Magazine
Youth report

MTV lets you have it (any way you want it)

by Lucy Saddleton
page 48

MTV in Canada converses and connects by staking a claim in every place (and every device) frequented by its audience

"Young people today want content to be available on whatever device they want at whatever time they want it," says Brad Schwartz, SVP/GM music and youth services at CTVglobemedia.

MTV in Canada, now two years young, appears to be doing a good job of that with seven platforms - not to mention staying on the lookout for new vehicles to add to its arsenal for communicating with its 12- to 34-year-old target. MTV currently pipes content out through conventional TV, analog specialty TV, a broadband website, iTunes and mobile-phone viewing, and shares its brand essence via on-the-ground events and concerts and consumer products.

"When we spread a brand across many platforms, young people are more engaged in that content," says Schwartz, noting that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts, which is especially key for the digerati demo. Explaining MTV's broad demographic, Schwartz says the brand is more concerned with targeting a mental attitude than a specific age group: "People are staying younger longer."

MTV schedules are heavy on hosted talk shows and lifestyle and documentary programming, with a commitment to 71% Canadian programming in prime time, though many popular MTV U.S. shows also air in Canada. Music is notably absent from MTV in Canada (setting it apart from other MTV-branded channels around the world), because under current CRTC format regulations, MuchMusic (now also owned by CTVglobemedia) is the only English-language channel that can be devoted to music.

David Kines, SVP music and youth services at CTVglobemedia, says that there are no plans to join MTV and MuchMusic together at the consumer level. "We believe that the value lies in the differences between these two very powerful brands," he says. "We want to maximize both brands by emphasizing the distinctions."

Both brands target the same audience, and despite its obvious lack of VJs, MTV has created a similar audience hook and continuity via its diverse cast of charismatic hosts who helm the talk and show intro/extro pieces. They also participate in on-air events, such as the recent Tussle in the Temple, in which comedian Daryn Jones battled the net's popular flunky Paul The Intern, or The Largest Loser contest, in which more trash was talked than weight was lost.

MTV.ca offers on-demand music, videos, video games and movie trailers to the techno-savvy youth market as well as full-length episodes from MTV shows. Last year, streaming accounted for 80% of activity on mtv.ca, with TV shows the most popular feature.

Since last year, consumers have been able to purchase and download MTV programming from the Apple iTunes digital media player application. In fact, iTunes now features more content from MTV than from any other supplier. In addition, Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless video subscribers can watch full episodes of MTV shows on their phones while on the go. Consumers can also text MTV to access new ringtones and mobile downloads.

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