MuchMusic USA today announced the launch of the MuchMusic Frontrow Concerts, a multiplatform program designed with and for cable operators to drive their broadband and digital services. The first event is being co-sponsored by AT&T Broadband. Scheduled for October 4th, the concert will feature Hanson playing at Chicago’s House of Blues nightclub.
The Hanson concert will be made available to AT&T Metropolitan Chicago customers on the system’s local access channels. The performance will also be customized for broadband, and delivered to AT&T cable modem customers in that system. The broadband content will include exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the band and live chats. Finally, the concert will be available via MuchMusic USA, which is carried on AT&T’s digital tier in the Chicago market.
“MuchMusic’s audience is extremely comfortable with new technologies, and has an appetite for unique, interactive content,” said Elaine Ching-McEntee, MuchMusic USA director of marketing. “The MuchMusic Frontrow Concerts will enable operators to tap into that audience to highlight their digital products, while providing viewers with the opportunity to experience their favorite bands in a truly interactive branded setting.”
“Our goal is always to provide unique, valuable content to our customers. Working with MuchMusic, we hope to increase awareness of the fresh, innovative content we provide via our digital tiers and broadband service,” added Mike Lovett, Regional Vice President, North Suburban Chicago for AT&T Broadband. “We believe this concert highlights some of the best our digital services has to offer.”
Each concert launched through this initiative will include extensive promotion, before and during the event, customized for each market. MuchMusic USA and AT&T Broadband will market the concert series in the Chicago area through a comprehensive multiplatform campaign, which kicks off in late summer. The campaign will include promotion and ticket giveaways with local radio stations, extensive television and newspaper advertising, on-campus promotion with local colleges and promotion on the MuchMusic USA and AT&T Chicago Web sites. The program will include a sweepstakes to enable one winner and 15 friends to attend the taping of the concert and a VIP party with the band. During the event, video spots and on-screen crawls will be featured via each platform promoting AT&T’s digital tiers and broadband product. The promotional campaign is scheduled to begin late this Summer.
Reflecting MuchMusic’s commitment to helping cable operators market their digital products, the Hanson show is the first installment of the MuchMusic Frontrow Concerts. The all-music, all-the-time, music video network is planning concerts in other cities across the United States over the next year. MuchMusic USA will partner with distributors in each market to produce customized, co-branded content.
MuchMusic USA is a state-of-the-art music television network featuring a diverse playlist with live, spontaneous, interactive programming. The all-music, all-the-time network provides an unprecedented showcase for emerging and established artists from around the world. Programming consists of musical series, concerts and videos for an eclectic audience ranging from rock, pop, and alternative, to blues, metal, rap, jazz and folk. MuchMusic produces up to 13 hours of live programming each day from its high-tech television facility and has established an international reputation for its pioneering approach to interactive programming, bringing music artists to a passionate audience.
Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC, is at the forefront of innovation in cable programming. Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, Romance Classics, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports, News 12 Networks and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications.
AT&T Broadband, a business unit of AT&T, is one of the nation’s largest broadband services companies, providing analog and digital television entertainment services to about 16 million customers across the nation. The company also provides advanced services, such as high-speed cable Internet services and competitive local phone service. AT&T Corp. (NYSE:ATT) is the world’s leader in telecommunications services and technology.
Contact:
Dan Klores Associates, Inc.
Public Relations
Sean F. Cassidy/Stacy Fusaro
212-685-4300