Multicultural Nets Play Music in New Ways

By R. THOMAS UMSTEAD -- Multichannel News, 12/5/2011 12:01:00 AM

Multicultural networks are serenading their core viewers with a variety of music-themed original shows that are striking a chord.

With music-video content readily available on demand from services like Music Choice and prevalent online via sites like YouTube, English language multicultural services like BET, TV One, MNet and MYX TV are remixing the music genre by developing awards shows and network branded music and pop-culture shows that showcase popular artists and songs that viewers can’t get anywhere else.

“Gone are the days of three or four hours of back-to-back music videos, because there are other places to get music videos now,” BET president of programming, music and specials Stephen Hill said. “We have to give viewers more value and more reasons to tune into our music programming by having hosts talk about pop culture, as well as show music-video programming.”

For BET, that comes through awards shows and specials where the network can showcase the biggest artists and the latest songs for its core African-American viewer. The BET Awards is perennially the network’s top telecast. And daily series 106 & Park, with its combination of music videos and artist interviews, remains one of BET’s highest-rated shows.

For relatively new networks like Asian-themed MYX TV, music represents an opportunity to bridge languages and cultures within a diverse community. The four-year-old channel has recently shifted its schedule from a heavy music-video format to one that offers reality and specialty programming infused with music elements. Last month, it debuted reality/ variety series The Timothy DeLaGhetto Show, which intersperses music videos and shorts skits and comedy skits from the popular online rapper/comedian.

“We’re making sure that music works harder for us within our schedule,” MYX TV head Miguel Santos said.

Adam Ware, acting president and CEO of Asian-themed network Mnet, said his service is catering to its audiences’ musical tastes on a number of platforms. Last Tuesday, it streamed live from Singapore on its Facebook page the six-hour Mnet Asian Music Awards show, one of the largest awards programs in Asian music.

Mnet drew more than 31,000 unique visitors to its Facebook site for the concert, which featured popular U.S. rap artists Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, as well as K-pop artists such as 2NE1 and HyunA.

“If you’re in the business of just running music videos, you’re having a hard time of it,” Ware said. “You have to use music as a programming element that taps into something that’s not being served.”

Multicultural networks are also infusing original music within existing reality and scripted series to provide more buzz for the shows and incentives for viewers to tune in.

Comcast and Radio One-owned TV One has incorporated profiles of classic R&B and rap artists into its most popular series, Unsung, as well as other reality/documentary series like Life After, CEO Wonya Lucas said. It has also made inroads with the music industry, garnering exclusive TV rights to one of R&B’s biggest live draws, the Essence Music Festival.

Gospel-tinged GMC has incorporated music into virtually all of its programming, with artists and performances organically integrated into storylines, scores and marketing and promotions, GMC vice chairman Brad Siegel said.

A hit song and video written by Christian music artist Matthew West served as the inspiration for the GMC’s Dec. 4 original movie, The Heart of Christmas.

In some cases, songs from shows can become popculture hits. “The Pittsy Shuffle” — a short musical number performed in an episode BET’s hit sitcom The Game — became a YouTube hit and garnered airplay on urban radio stations, Hill said.

“Music is important to everyone’s lives and is at the core of African-American lives,” Hill said. “Any show that didn’t have music in it is not staying true to the audience.”