Column: Can Teen.com TV Become the Web’s MTV?

More than 25 years ago, MTV revolutionized entertainment for teens. A hip, edgy music network with videos that spoke to the younger generation, MTV became a symbol for how to reach youth. The network is still a mega-powerful brand, but the next big change in how kids are entertained may originate from an online network. Teen.com TV That’s because teens are the heaviest consumers of Internet video programming. In January, the 12-to-17 age group watched 175 minutes per viewer, compared to 123 for the 18-plus group and 104 for kids 2 to 11, said Nielsen Online. While youth-centric networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon continue to grow their online video reach—Nickelodeon reached 6 million unique viewers in January, MTV 4.5 million, according to Nielsen—networks are facing fresh competition from newer entrants who aim to own this generation’s loyalty and love of Web video. For instance, the teen-centric entertainment company and executive producers of the “Gossip Girl” property and TV franchise, ... (link)