Time Warner Cable plans to launch an on-demand music video channel on May 7 as part of an effort to promote its parent company’s AOL For Broadband high-speed online service.
The digital cable network, called My MC, will contain performances from America Online’s weekly concert series in addition to music videos from BMG, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.
IN 16 DIVISIONS
Time Warner said 16 of its cable divisions in California, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, upstate New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin would launch the channel next month.
My MC will build up to 30 hours programming in May, and later the content will be updated on an ongoing basis.
My MC will contain a video barker window that tells viewers how to navigate the on-demand content, and music videos will be arranged in a menu by genre and artist.
CROSS PROMOS
While My MC is designed to prompt Time Warner Cable’s digital cable customers to sign up for AOL for Broadband, it won’t market Time Warner’s Road Runner high-speed data service.
AOL and Road Runner did, however, announce plans last week to cross-promote each other’s high-speed data services.
Under the agreement between the Time Warner divisions, Road Runner will add an AOL Channel to its home page that will allow Road Runner subscribers to sample AOL content, including games, finance, sports and its Sessions@AOL studio music performances.
Conroy said AOL for Broadband hopes the strategy will help drive Road Runner customers to sign up for AOL for Broadband, which costs $14.95 per month. AOL counts about 3 million broadband subscribers, after adding 1.2 million customers in 2003.
AOL will also promote Road Runner through its “High Speed Internet Options” service, where it will pitch Road Runner to its dial-up customers along with AOL for Broadband.
Road Runner president Jeff King said he expects the cross-marketing deal will help drive traffic to the cable modem service. “It’s really about content for Road Runner Customers,” King said.
