Australia not included in MTV’s streaming service announcements, yet

MTV's new streaming service MTV Trax launches tomorrow (March 3) in the UK and will be introduced in New Zealand later in the year in partnership with a “leading network operator.” However, MTV’s parent company Viacom is yet to mention an Australian rollout.

The subscription-based MTV Trax is aimed at casual music fans whom MTV said may be “put off by the higher price tariffs and complexity of ‘all you can eat’ streaming services.” Trax offers daily updated features as rated playlists and tracks of the moment chosen by MTV and available for download on iOS, Android and in the Windows Phone Store.

Also new from MTV is a video on demand service called MTV Plays, which launches on March 5 first in Germany, Switzerland and Romania. It features 1,500 hours of many of its key shows.

MTV’s partnership on the app with Dutch multi-platform innovator Vigour allows consumers to switch between devices, flicking between the app and other screens while watching videos.

MTV’s research shows that 41% of 16 to 24-year-olds regularly watch TV shows on smartphones. Mobile handsets are the favoured music listening devices for this demographic, and 11% of under-35s pay for music streaming services.

Bob Bakish, CEO of Viacom International Media Networks, said: “MTV is one of the hottest entertainment brands in the minds of 16 to 24-year-old mobile users, with the majority of online engagement with the MTV brand now coming through mobile devices.

“This launch of the MTV Play and MTV Trax apps offers mobile operators an enormous opportunity to differentiate themselves and reward consumer loyalty by offering greater value through premium branded content and services targeting young customers who aren’t currently subscribing to pay TV.”

Twenty years ago, the New York-based MTV went on to build its US$5.8 billion fortune and reach of half a billion households around the world. Its impact was made on cable and digital TV, starting out as wall-to-wall music videos and then turning to reality and scripted television programs. The question is, in the current climate, are music consumers willing to accept music content curated for them or would they prefer to playlist themselves?