On-Demand Channel Offers Music Videos

05/23/2004 4:13 PM, Reuters
Carla Hay

Waiting around to see your favorite music videos on TV may become as old-fashioned as trying to catch your favorite songs on the radio when those songs are readily available online.

The digital revolution has hit the music-video world full force with the arrival of My MC, an on-demand digital-cable service that Time Warner Cable and sister company AOL launched this month.

My MC, which is available at no additional charge to digital-cable subscribers, allows users to view videos and exclusive AOL footage on demand. The footage includes "Sessions@AOL" performances and select shows from My MC's weekly "Broadband Rocks" concert series.

For years, various companies have tried to launch on-demand music video services on cable and satellite TV. But My MC has corporate backing and the reach of Time Warner Cable (which has 10.9 million U.S. subscribers, according to the company) to virtually ensure that it will be the first successful on-demand video service.

BMG, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have signed on to supply content for My MC. An AOL spokeswoman says AOL and Time Warner Cable are in discussions with EMI Music.

My MC is initially offering 100 artist-driven selections as part of its service. More selections will be available in the coming months.

Acts that are part of the first batch of My MC menu choices include Britney Spears , Alicia Keys , Hoobastank, the Darkness, Missy Elliott, Michelle Branch , Jet, Avril Lavigne , Dave Matthews Band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lou Reed and Ruben Studdard.

My MC launched the first week of May in fewer than 20 U.S. markets. They include Akron, Ohio; Binghamton, N.Y.; Cincinnati; Columbia, S.C.; Dayton, Ohio; Green Bay, Wis.; Kansas City, Mo.; Memphis; Raleigh, N.C.; San Diego; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Waco, Texas.

A Time Warner Cable spokesman says the company will expand My MC to other markets during the next several months.

The arrival of My MC couldn't have come at a better time for the music industry. Such channels as MTV and VH1 are playing fewer videos and have scaled back their programing overall.

Universal Motown Records Group VP of video promotion David Nathan applauds the launch of My MC.

"We're all for exposing our artists," he says, "and a service like My MC will just broaden that spectrum."

My MC is also part of a larger technology trend of increasing on-demand options and customization that is changing how people get their entertainment.

"People are starting to have the habit of getting their entertainment when they want to get it," says Jim Farmer, chief technology officer of Alpharetta, Ga.-based Wave7 Optics, a company that specializes in broadband access systems for cable TV.

"Broadband is going to open more on-demand services for TV so that eventually people will be able to program their own TV stations and send this content to other people."

Reuters/Billboard