MTV has revealed plans to launch an online video-on-demand store for Europe, enabling millions of broadband users to download shows, music videos and movie trailers. In related news, Irish TV production company Jam Media has sold rights to its animation product PICME to MTV Networks International.
MTV’s new service, dubbed ‘MTV Overdrive’, is due to debut next Sunday in Ireland and the UK with the second season premiere of the British version of reality show Pimp My Ride.
The service will make its revenue through 15-second advertisements that viewers can fast forward through.
The move follows the launch of a similar service last year in the US and Latin America.
MTV’s move into the video-on-demand market is being interpreted as a response to video-on-demand efforts by rivals Disney and Microsoft. The BBC and ITV are also planning to launch their own video-on-demand services later this year.
In related news, Irish TV production firm Jam Media has sold the rights to its interactive animation series PICME to MTV Networks International for Nickelodeon channels across Europe, Asia and Latin America for an undisclosed sum.
The deal will see all 104 five-minute-long episodes of PICME rolled out to Nickelodeon channels around the world including Europe, Japan, Latin America and Australia.
By John Kennedy
