imeem Teams with MTV Networks to Bring Expansive Library of MTVN Video to its Social Media Network
Clips and Episodes from Popular Shows on MTV, VH1, COMEDY CENTRAL, Nickelodeon, Spike, and More Will Be Available for Free On-Demand Streaming on imeem Starting in February
SAN FRANCISCO - Tuesday, January 8, 2008 - imeem, the leading social media network, and MTV Networks, a division of VIACOM International (NYSE: VIA.A and VIA), today announced a partnership to offer show clips and episodes from MTVN's music, kids and family, comedy and pop-culture brands for free to consumers on-demand streaming on imeem.com starting in February. MTV Networks is the first major media company to make such a comprehensive selection of its television programming available via imeem.
The MTVN relationship will add thousands of clips of high-quality entertainment video to imeem. Starting next month, imeem’s community of over 20 million users will be able to watch and interact with clips from hit shows on COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, CMT, Logo, The N, Noggin, Spike TV, MTV2, AtomFilms, GameTrailers and more, including COMEDY CENTRAL's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and “The Colbert Report,” MTV's "The Hills," MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Movie Awards, VH1's "The Salt-N-Pepa Show," and Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants," among others. These clips are free to the consumer through imeem’s ad-supported social media model.
Using imeem’s interactive features, consumers will be able to make MTVN’s video clips a central part of their personal imeem experience. Users will be able to watch and share videos from their favorite MTVN programming, express themselves by adding favorite clips to their personal profiles or create video playlists to share with friends, and form new communities around the shows and characters they love. Each MTVN brand will have its own channel on imeem, highlighting clips from the brands’ most popular shows.
“By enabling fans to create and share playlists of clips from their favorite MTVN shows, we’re moving closer to realizing our vision of enabling consumers to discover and express themselves in entirely new ways with popular music and video through imeem,” said Steve Jang, chief marketing officer of imeem. “In the coming months, we plan to leverage growth in our ad-supported media streaming to enhance our video offering. Adding MTVN’s amazing catalog of premium video to imeem’s social media network is an important step towards that goal.”
“imeem offers a great platform for MTVN to promote and distribute our content to millions of fans through a deep and engaging social media experience ,” said Greg Clayman, Executive Vice President, Digital Distribution and Business Development, MTVN. “Using imeem, fans can engage with our content in new and exciting ways, expressing who they are using video from the shows they love. We’re excited to make our content available to imeem users.”
MTVN’s content complements imeem’s existing video offering, which today includes a comprehensive collection of music videos from all four major music labels, promotional content from such television partners as SHOWTIME, The CW Television Network and NBC, and promotional and full-length movies from major Hollywood studios and independent production companies. In December 2007, imeem became the first social networking company to offer full-length, streaming access to the entire music and video catalogs of all four major music companies on an advertising-supported basis.
About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 145 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, NOGGIN, THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 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.
About imeem
imeem is the leading social media network where users create, recommend and discover music, film/video, art, and pop culture media and connect directly with people with similar tastes. By offering innovative media expression tools and social discovery features, including custom music playlists, video channels, photo slideshows and blogs, the imeem community can share their tastes with friends and fans on imeem and across the Web.
imeem is the first social network to partner with all four major labels as well as thousands of indie labels and video providers to offer free, on-demand streaming of all music and video content on an ad-supported basis. Since the launch of its Web-based service in March 2006, the community has attracted over 20 million unique users each month. imeem was the fastest growing social site in the U.S. in September and October 2007*. To learn more, visit http://www.imeem.com.
imeem’s investors include Sequoia Capital, Morgenthaler Ventures and Warner Music Group.
Copyright © 2007 imeem, inc. All rights reserved. imeem, the imeem tagline and the imeem logotype are trademarks of imeem, inc., which may be registered in some jurisdictions. All other trademarks used are owned by their respective owners.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix
PRESS CONTACTS:
Matt Graves
415-290-3503
matt@imeem.com
Mark Jafar
MTV Networks
212-846-8961
Mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com
Press Contact
Gina Olsen
415-762-0135
press@imeem.com
