TORONTO _ MTV Canada is getting a "brother" station that will be able to provide something it can't - music videos.
MTV2, a digital specialty channel, launches Aug. 1 in Canada with a federal broadcasting licence that "allows the channel to be 10 per cent music videos," said Brad Schwartz, senior vice-president and general manager of Much MTV Group, CTV Inc. MTV Canada, on the other hand, has a licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that allows it to broadcast "zero" music videos, said Schwartz.
Only scant details about MTV2 are being revealed but Schwartz does say it targets 12- to 24-year-olds, which is a younger demographic than that targeted by MTV Canada.
"It is a little younger, it is a little edgier," said Schwartz. "You know, snowboarders, skateboarders and music video addicts."
Its programming will include a new, hosted original hour-long music video show, as well as "wild stunts and pranks, extreme sports, live concerts, comedy, music videos, animation, and much, much more," said a release.
MTV2 - a rebranding of Razer by CTV Inc. - has a complex history.
Razer used to be called MTV Canada when it was owned by Craig Media and launched in 2001.
CHUM Ltd. took over Craig Media in 2004 and thus owned the MTV brand.
Then in 2005, CHUM rebranded MTV as Razer, after which CTV Inc. launched its own incarnation of MTV Canada.
Now that CTVglobemedia has taken over CHUM Ltd., it is bringing Razer back to its MTV roots.
Station officials say they'll announce more details about programming soon.
MTV2 is also the name of a digital specialty channel in the U.S.
CTV Inc.'s other music stations include MuchMusic and MuchMoreMusic.
On the Net:
www.mtv2.ca
© Canadian Press
