MTV to Launch Nation's First Gay TV Network

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

http://www.bcentral.com/articles/isyn/defa...nd=msn&LID=3800

 

MTV to Launch Nation's First Gay TV Network

 

By Phyllis Furman, Daily News, New York

05.26.2004

May 26--Cable programming powerhouse MTV Networks said it's launching the country's first gay network -- called LOGO -- and conservative groups are already vowing to erase it.

 

Following yesterday's big announcement of LOGO's launch, scheduled for Feb. 17 of next year, conservative groups promptly threatened to identify and boycott advertisers who buy time on the gay channel.

 

"We will have to put together a master plan that will pull together tens of millions of pro-family people," Traditional Values Coalition chairman Rev. Louis Sheldon told the Daily News.

 

Sheldon's group opposes gay marriage and has led earlier boycotts of companies like retail chain 7-Eleven for carrying racy magazines on its shelves.

 

Concerned Women for America -- which has boycotted Disney for its pro-gay policies -- said it would publicize LOGO advertisers. "They should not promote homosexuality," said Robert Knight, a leader of the right-leaning group.

 

Knight added that the net's launch offers "a powerful new argument" to groups fighting on Capitol Hill to give consumers the right to choose what cable nets they want.

 

For now, though, MTV Networks chairman Tom Freston is shrugging off any protests from conservative groups, though MTV's parent company Viacom, is being trashed for backing shock jock Howard Stern.

 

"We don't anticipate a huge backlash," Freston told reporters yesterday on a conference call.

 

"This isn't going to have sex and sexuality," Freston added, explaining that LOGO would meet the standards of any basic cable channel.

 

MTV Networks, the red-hot cable programming giant whose other nets include MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon, sees mega-bucks in the big-spending gay population, which it claims is now underserved on the TV screen.

 

Freston's boss, Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone, has told investors the net would cost $30 million to launch -- but could be worth $1 billion.

 

LOGO, which will likely be carried by cable systems on their higher-priced digital tier, is expected to be carried in 10 million to 14 million homes by the end of next year and turn a profit within three years, execs said yesterday.

 

Talks are under way with a range of cable systems. Time Warner Cable has already agreed to carry it in New York.

 

And advertisers like online travel agency Orbitz, which aggressively targets gay customers and was one of the early advertisers on Bravo hit "Queer Eye," have already signed on.

 

MTV execs declined to be specific about programming yesterday but said the network would appeal to a wide range of gay and lesbian viewers with entertainment, news, talk shows, and movies like "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" and "Gods and Monsters."

 

LOGO will also partner with Viacom's other units, like CBS News, and VH1 to create programming, execs said.

 

To see more of the Daily News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.NYDailyNews.com

 

© 2004, Daily News, New York. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected].

 

Copyright © YellowBrix Inc 2004

[starvenger 0]

Apparently these groups haven't heard of channel blocking...

[Guest El Satanico]

I really don't see this channel having an audience. Who would actually watch it? The only audience I can see are metrosexuals and women. I can't imagine any self respecting homosexual actually tuning in to a channel such as this.

[Guest MikeSC]

If MTV was starting an all-LAME channel --- yeah, I could see it working wonders.

 

I don't trust MTV to program for ANYBODY.

-=Mike

[haVoc 0]

Maybe they should put out a real music channel instead?

[Guest El Satanico]

I'll have to tune in for the premiere of "The Real Gay World".

[Guest MikeSC]

Maybe they should put out a real music channel instead?

Can't. They killed music about 10 years ago.

-=Mike

[Guest El Satanico]

Maybe they should put out a real music channel instead?

It's called M2

 

Or did you mean an all classical music channel, since that's real music.

[haVoc 0]

I'll have to tune in for the premiere of "The Real Gay World".

Will it be any different from the current Real Worlds?

[Guest MikeSC]

I'll have to tune in for the premiere of "The Real Gay World".

Will it be any different from the current Real Worlds?

It'll be FABULOUS!

-=Mike

[Guest El Satanico]

It will have more drama queens than the regular show, because you know MTV would hire the queens and not the homosexuals who act like regular everyday people.

[haVoc 0]

Maybe they should put out a real music channel instead?

It's called M2

Thank God for my digital cable music channels.

[Guest MikeSC]

It will have more drama queens than the regular show, because you know MTV would hire the queens and not the homosexuals who act like regular everyday people.

They'd bring back Jesse Camp --- just because they hate humanity.

-=Mike

[Guest El Satanico]

Jesse isn't gay, he's just insane and possibly slightly retarded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And damnit...Jesse was great...I liked that maniac.

[nl5xsk1 0]

They're stupid for waiting until next February to launch ... won't this whole "Gay is Cool and Trendy" fad be over by then?

[Guest MikeSC]

Jesse isn't gay, he's just insane and possibly slightly retarded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And damnit...Jesse was great...I liked that maniac.

Didn't say Jesse was gay. Just that they'd bring him back because they hate humanity.

-=Mike

[justsoyouknow 0]

So instead of hours upon hours of rap videos, they'll just play hours and hours of Justin Timberlake videos?

[Guest MikeSC]

So instead of hours upon hours of rap videos, they'll just play hours and hours of Justin Timberlake videos?

Well, they've already killed music. I guess pissing on the ashes isn't too extreme.

-=Mike

[justsoyouknow 0]

MTV killed Buddy Holly?

[Guest El Satanico]

So instead of hours upon hours of rap videos, they'll just play hours and hours of Justin Timberlake videos?

That's the best you got? get out of here.

 

I mean shit at least say Madonna or Cher if you're going for the cheap "gay people listen to this" joke.

[justsoyouknow 0]

...gay people think Justin's cute.

[Guest El Satanico]

now you're only digging yourself deeper

[haVoc 0]

MTV killed Buddy Holly?

No, they killed John Lennon (August 8th, 1980) and John Bonham (September 24th, 1980). MTV premiered less then a year later, August 1st, 1981.

 

Rumor has it Kurt Loder had them both killed so his good "friend" Rod Stewart could be the biggest star on the channel.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Those sons of bitches. If they take my million dollar idea for my Gay Dating show, I'll sue.

[Guest JumpinJackFlash]

MTV killed Johny Cash. He deserved the respect of having Best video. It was the best video I've seen in a long time. He lost to Missy Elliot, for goodness sake! Missy Elliot!

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Even if MTV is starting a gay network it won't matter. It'll just be all straight program that will still be billed as gay. Kinda like how MTV hasn't shown a video in ten years......

[justsoyouknow 0]

now you're only digging yourself deeper

Fine. I'm sure the station will play a lot of Kylie Minogue videos.

[Cheex Incarnate 0]

QUOTE (El Satanico @ Jun 4 2004, 12:52 PM)

I'll have to tune in for the premiere of "The Real Gay World". 

 

 

Will it be any different from the current Real Worlds? 

 

 

It'll be FABULOUS!

 

[BlackFlagg 0]

You mean MTV isn't a gay network?

[Toshiaki Koala 0]

"They should not promote homosexuality," said Robert Knight, a leader of the right-leaning group.

It's tough to argue with that kind of logic.