MTV Inks Alliance with China’s Baidu

MTV has inked a content and advertising deal with Baidu, China's leading search engine, which pump MTV and Nickolodeon content to China's 123 million Internet users.

Viacom’s MTV Networks today announced it has formed a content and advertising partnership with Baidu, China’s leading Internet search engine. The new partnership will put over 15,000 hours of MTV and Nickolodeon programming online for viewing and download via five top Asian and Chinese music companies starting today. MTV will also run a new MTV Zone on Baidu, while will feature branded MTV content and boasts Motorola and P&G as its launch sponsors.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This breakthrough relationship with Baidu delivers Chinese audiences a major digital platform for non-stop, 24-hour access to MTV and Nickelodeon programming content for the first time&,dash;from SpongeBob SquarePants, to Pimp My Ride, to MTV China’s vast local original programming like MTV Tian Lai Cun and MTV Music Wire,” said Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International, in a release. “This alliance with China’s #1 Internet search engine is also a key milestone in our digital media position in China and advances our long-term commitment to expanding our brands and local content in China.”

China is one of the most lucrative Internet markets in the world, with over 123 million Internet users; the partnership also helps seal MTVN China’s dominance of mobile digital media in China, where it can reach essentially 100% of the country’s mobile users through China Mobile and China Telecom.

MTVN China will create four content categories for the Baidu MTV Zone, including MTV China’s locally produced shows, plus MTV Chart Countdown, MTV English, MTV Mega Star, and MTV China’s live music events; MTV reality shows like Cribs and Pimp My Ride; Nickolodeon programming like SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer; and music videos from four Chinese music labels and one Asian label.

Content offerings will range from 10 to 30 minutes in length; many offerings will be available for free with advertising, and some will be available in high-resolution formats. Other content may be available only to subscribers or on a pay-to-access basis.