MTVN, Amp’d to create original mobile shows

Today at CES, MTV Networks and Amp’d Mobile announced a “first-of-its-kind deal for the industry” to work together to create original mobile programming for distribution on Amp’d Live. “MTV Networks and Amp’d Mobile are building an entirely new model for the creation, development and distribution of short-form programming for consumers to access on their handset,” said Greg Clayman, SVP of Mobile Media for MTV Networks. Under the deal, MTVN will retain the rights to expand the mobile shows to television, just like it did recently with the Amp’d show, “Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States.” Press release…

PRESS RELEASE — In a first-of-its-kind deal for the industry, MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B), and Amp’d Mobile today announced they are working together to create and distribute original made-for-mobile episodic series that will appear exclusively on Amp’d.

The development deal between MTV Networks and Amp’d Mobile marks the first time a major media company and a mobile entertainment provider have come together to create and distribute content made specifically for the handset. The original programming will appear on MTV Networks’ channels on Amp’d Live, Amp’d Mobile’s entertainment portal.

The unique development deal builds upon such recent successes as “Sucks Less, With Kevin Smith” and “Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States.” “Sucks Less, with Kevin Smith” — one of the most successful original series in mtvU’s history — features iconoclastic filmmaker Kevin Smith teaching UCLA’s first-ever mobile media production class where students write, shoot and produce the series which premieres on Amp’d Mobile. “Sucks Less…” was created in conjunction with mtvU, UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and Kevin Smith, who also served as Executive Producer.

MTV Networks’ COMEDY CENTRAL and Amp’d Mobile recently announced that the original animated mobile series “Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States” was making the leap from mobile to television — marking the first time that original content created for the mobile space has crossed over to a linear channel. The new series, originally produced for mobile by Amp’d Mobile and comedy writer/producer Donick Cary, will be co-produced by Cary, Amp’d, and COMEDY CENTRAL, and is scheduled to launch later this year.

“MTV Networks and Amp’d Mobile are building an entirely new model for the creation, development and distribution of short-form programming for consumers to access on their handset,” said Greg Clayman, Senior Vice President of Mobile Media for MTV Networks. “This process also will help us cultivate an entirely new generation of young filmmakers who are inspired to create works of art that can live on any screen.”

“In quarter four of last year, Amp’d Mobile’s original content represented 39 percent of all downloads,” said Seth Cummings, Senior Vice President of Content Development & Programming for Amp’d Mobile. “Our partnership with MTV Networks allows us to expand this category while continuing to offer top television and film creators such as Donick a blank slate to develop their pet projects into mobile.”

MTV Networks’ channels on Amp’d include MTV, mtvU, VH1, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike and Logo. Under the deal, MTV Networks will retain the rights to develop and cross-program the made-for-mobile projects for television and other platforms.