MTV to launch online video service

Television network MTV today announced it is to launch an online video-on-demand service that will allow viewers to watch music videos, comedy shows, news and film trailers.

MTV Overdrive, will be one of the first full online television services in the UK. It will be available in Britain and Ireland from Sunday before being rolled out to other European countries in the following months.

Viewers will be able to create their own playlist of shows that will automatically update every week.

Angel Gambino, vice president of commercial strategy and digital media MTV Networks UK, said: “Our viewers are early adopters of new technologies and we know, through the take-up of our online, mobile and wap services that they are keen to receive MTV content across all the screens they use – PC, TV and mobile phone.”

MTV Overdrive will launch its online entertainment gateway to coincide with the television premiere of Pimp My Ride UK, series 2.

The free-to-air service launched in April 2005 in the US, followed by the September launch of a customised service for Latin America called MTV Revolution.

The service will generate revenue mostly from 15 second advertisements which viewers will be able to fast-forward.

Viewers will also be able to buy tracks they have heard on the site through a digital music store.

MTV has a been a pioneer in finding new ways to distribute content originally intended for television.

The company operates 111 television channels, including 11 in the UK, and 94 Web sites. It has signed deals with more than 60 mobile phone companies in several countries, including Germany, South Korea and Japan, to provide short video clips, comedy programmes, games and ring tones.

Both the BBC and ITV are planning to launch on-demand TV services before the end of the year.