(Credit: MTV Networks)
Who said you couldn't bring the Web to TV? Slide's absurdly popular social-network application "SuperPoke" is coming to a new platform: MTV Networks' VH1, as part of a promotion for its new reality show I Love Money.
In a cross-promotional advertising deal, "actions" related to VH1's schlocky reality shows Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, and I Love New York will appear in the SuperPoke arsenal. In other words, you'll be able to post things on your friends' Facebook and MySpace profiles along the lines of "Josh has gotten romantical with Rob"--a reference to Flavor of Love--assuming the friends in question have installed SuperPoke.
'Yay! We're going to be on TV!'
But wait, there's more. SuperPoke will be invading your television. VH1 plans to hold a four-day-long "SuperPokeFest," in which 10,000 of those SuperPoke actions will be chosen via lottery and shown on-air.
Slide has had a couple of recent issues with the fact that one of its other applications, Top Friends, had a security hole in it; SuperPoke does not appear to have had such problems, so you can happily sheep-toss your way into oblivion. And if you're a chronic SuperPoker who's desperate to be chosen, fear not: VH1 has the courtesy to inform you in which time slot your SuperPoke will appear live.
Set those DVRs! The whole thing starts Wednesday! You'll be so uncool if you miss it!
At the end of the four-day Max Levchin lovefest, VH1 will premiere I Love Money, which contrary to the name is not about venture-happy Silicon Valley guys in khakis and blue button-down shirts. It's an "all-star" program featuring past contestants from Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, and I Love New York, and it gives a dozen contestants the chance to win $250,000. Which is totally small potatoes compared to Slide's reported $500 million valuation.
In other news, I'm going to go throw a sheep at whoever came up with this corny idea.
On Monday, MTV Networks is set to unveil an initiative to connect its television, online, and mobile presences by helping music fans answer that crucial question--"Who the (expletive) sings that song?"
In other words, MTV Networks, the Viacom division that encompasses the MTV, VH1, and CMT brands as well as a host of other pop culture channels, is aiming to renew its focus on music by bringing lyrics to the forefront. This will begin rolling out in November and is expected to be complete by the middle of 2008.
On television, several of the networks' existing music-related programs will start to incorporate "lyrics and the artists' inspirations for their words" into their structure, and all three channels will air a new "Name That Tune" series, according to a release from MTV Networks.
Online, the networks' Web sites will feature lyrics search data from digital music database Gracenote, accompanied by multimedia artist information, trivia games, and a link to purchase the song in question--which will undoubtedly be tied into MTV Networks' Rhapsody-powered music store when that launches. And in the mobile space, curious music fans will be able to text-message inquiries (an artist's name, song name, or snippet of lyric) to a SMS code and receive a link to a mobile Web site containing data pertaining to the song and artist.
This is a potentially lucrative move for MTV Networks, which has not only struggled to bring its pop culture influence to the Web but has also fallen from some music fans' favor as its networks increasingly prioritize reality shows. Unlicensed lyrics sites are currently facing incipient copyright scrutiny--not to mention the fact that there's no such thing as a Google Lyrics Search.
Not yet, at least.
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