Has MTV woken up? Two recent announcements from MTV and partners -
(1) MTV announces plan to invest $500MM in online "casual gaming" over the next two years. Gaming could be a great lever point for MTV to reconnect with youth, and the spirit of the effort, defined as a "global strategy to incorporate games development at the inception of all new programming plans and not as an afterthought", is a solid one. The good folks at PacCrest put together a fantastic paper with an over view on the casual games space, and the potential is staggering - however the challenge will expanding the casual game demographic (currently older and female) to the target MTV is looking to attract and retain.
(2) MTV, Real Networks, Verizon Wireless take aim at iTunes The three announced today they will be forming "Rhapsody America", a new company that will be offering an "integrated digital music experience" for PC, portable music players and cellphones. Behind this news? Verizon is desperate to keep people buying music on their deck - where they control user transaction and commerce opportunities - not off. Rhapsody as a music service has been relying on distribution deals through OEM's to keep them alive. Time will tell whether this troika is an interactive powerhouse with an ace in the hole - 24hr potential promotion via MTV's broadcast/cable empire - or three drunks at a bar trying to hold each other up. If they can execute brilliantly, they've got a shot, but Apple continues to crank, and look for Nokia coming up on the outside...
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