AT&T Inc. struck a distribution agreement to deliver MTVN and BET linear, high-definition, on-demand and digital music programming as part of the AT&T U-verse TV channel lineup. Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
AT&T will provide its U-verse TV customers with the following network entertainment brands: BET, BET J, BET Gospel, CMT, CMT Pure Country, Comedy Central, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTV Espanol (soon to become MTV Tr3s), Nickelodeon, Nick2, Nicktoons, Nick GAS, Noggin, The N, Spike TV, TV Land, VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul and VH Uno. Additionally, AT&T will deliver MTV Networks' and BET Networks' video-on-demand content as part of the U-verse "Free On Demand" platform and will also carry MTVN's recently-launched high-definition channel, MHD; MTV's channels specifically designed to serve ethnic populations in the U.S., including MTV Chi, MTV Desi and MTV K; as well as digital audio radio programming from MTV's new Urge audio service.
"The MTV Networks and BET Networks brands are among the strongest in television," said Dan York, head of programming, AT&T Operations Inc. "We are very happy to be offering the wide array of MTV Networks and BET Networks program services to AT&T U-verse customers."
"MTV Networks and BET Networks are dedicated to bringing our audiences the content they are passionate about," said Nicole Browning, president, affiliate sales and marketing, MTV Networks. "As AT&T U-verse TV develops new platforms to provide an advanced and personalized entertainment experience for consumers, we are delighted to partner with them to deliver our strong brands and services and further diversify our customer footprint."
AT&T U-verse TV is delivered by Project Lightspeed, the company's initiative to deliver U-verse TV, AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet U-verse Enabled and, in the future, Voice over IP services. Through its subsidiaries, AT&T expects to reach nearly 19 million households by the end of 2008 as part of its initial deployment, using fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technologies.
AT&T Inc. (www.att.com) is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the U.S. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high-speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60% ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider, with more than 55.8 million wireless customers.
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 more than 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, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, which includes LOGO, NOGGIN, VH1 Classic and 10 additional digital services. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 90 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.
BET Networks (www.bet.net), a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. is America's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households, according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Prods., a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Ent., a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
