by Playfuls Staff |
23rd October 2006
MTV Networks, owned by Viacom Inc., announced today a landmark content and advertising alliance with Baidu.com, Inc., China's #1 search engine, at a press conference in Beijing.[more] The new strategic partnership will give China's 123 million Internet users easy access to 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickelodeon original video content and music videos licensed by five top Chinese and Asian music companies for online viewing or download through http://www.baidu.com starting today. As part of the agreement, MTV will provide the first-ever branded area featured on Baidu - MTV Zone, which will include advertising at launch by Motorola and P&G. This deal extends MTVN China's digital media position, where MTV has 100% reach of the country's mobile subscribers through partnerships with China Mobile and China Unicom.
Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International, commented: "This breakthrough relationship with Baidu delivers Chinese audiences a major digital platform for non-stop, 24-hour access to MTV and Nickelodeon programming content for the first time -- from SpongeBob SquarePants, to
Pimp My Ride, to MTV China's vast local original programming like MTV Tian Lai Cun and MTV Music Wire. This alliance with China's #1 Internet search engine is also a key milestone in our digital media position in China and advances our long-term commitment to expanding our brands and local content in China."
Robin Li, Chairman & CEO of Baidu.com, Inc., said: "We're excited to expand our powerful online entertainment platform at Baidu through this first-of-its-kind alliance with MTV Networks. With a diverse offering of original programming, animation and music, Chinese users will be able to
experience high quality entertainment on MTV Zone. Content owners and artists will be compensated through this revenue share agreement, which also offers exciting new opportunities for advertisers to reach the online youth demographic in China. We look forward to working with MTV Networks to build on this partnership over the long-term."
MTVN China will provide four categories of content for MTV Zone on Baidu's portal, including:
* MTV China's locally produced shows such as MTV Music Wire, Tian Lai Cun,
MTV Chart Countdown, MTV English, MTV Mega Star and MTV China's live
music events.
* MTV hit reality shows including Pimp My Ride, Cribs and Laguna Beach.
* Nickelodeon's hit shows, including animations SpongeBob SquarePants and
Dora the Explorer, as well as live action series Unfabulous and Drake &
Josh.
* Music videos from four Chinese labels, as well as one Asian label.
Content will vary in length, from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Internet users will be able to access the high-resolution video content via viewing online, as well as downloading using Baidu's BaiduXsetup software that enables fast downloading. Some downloaded content will require payment, such as music videos, while most will be downloadable free of charge after
viewing advertisements. MTVN, Baidu, and where applicable, the record labels, share the revenues. MTV and Baidu also share ad revenues, and Motorola and Procter & Gamble's Rejoice brand have signed on as the first advertisers of MTV Zone downloads.
In addition, MTVN has signed licensing agreements with four of the top music companies in Mainland China, including EE Media, Modern Sky, Music Nation and Ocean Butterflies to enable MTVN to distribute music videos for emerging and established artists. These include Jeff Chang, JJ Lin, Aaron Kwok, Wang Rong, New Pants and others. Music video content will also be available from indie label Avex Group, which represents many artists with strong pan-Asian appeal, such as Japan's Ayumi Hamasaki, Boa, and Namie Amuro; Mainland China's He Jie; and Taiwan's Cindy Wang and Show Lo.
Additional agreements to offer videos from local and international artists will be announced soon.
MTVN has numerous agreements around the world to make its content available on multiple platforms, including the Internet, mobile phones and portable devices. Internet partnerships include companies such as AOL, Google Video, iTunes and Amazon, among others, for MTV, Nickelodeon and the company's other leading brands.
