Internet plan for MTV video clips

[Rappy Veteran]

US media company Viacom is to begin letting people take videos from a number of its websites to post on their own blogs and sites.

The move will mean that clips of MTV-owned shows such as Pimp My Ride will become available.

Viacom, which is responsible for MTV and the Paramount movie studio, had been planning the move for months.

The company recently demanded the removal of more than 100,000 Viacom video clips from YouTube.

"We need to open up our websites and content both for consumers and for other companies," said Mika Salmi, MTV Networks president of global digital media.

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Since December, Viacom's Comedy Central website has been allowing viewers to embed its videos on their own sites.

The idea, borrowed from websites like MySpace, helps Viacom rely less on sites such as YouTube to reach viewers.

It means the company can also control its own programming and advertising.

As part of its move to invest more heavily in the internet, MTV Networks plans to cut 250 jobs, or about 6% of its work force.

Judy McGrath, chief executive of MTV Networks, told staff the company would "refine our business and organisational models" and build up some areas such as online and new networks while reducing resources in others.

The jobs will go in the US across MTV Networks, a unit that includes MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and Country Music Television.

Ms McGrath also indicated that MTV's overseas operations was also "exploring new business models for television and online".

(BBC)

I wish MTV.Com allowed people outside the US to watch the videos of TV shows...lol