MTV Music Group # 1 Online Music Destination According to comScore Media Metrix Rankings

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Music Group ranks as the most visited online music destination according to the newly released U.S. comScore Media Metrix numbers for August 2010. MTV Music Group, a division of Viacom Inc (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), garnered more than 53 million unique visitors in August alone.  In the last year, MTV Music Group, a consortium of MTV brand sites that includes MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT.com applied an increased focus on providing fans with unparalleled access to their favorite music and artists through curated multiple touch points. As a result, MTV Music Group has experienced more than a 165% year-over-year uptick in web traffic due to strong organic growth, strategic partnerships and successful social media initiatives. In the coming months, the group will reveal several high level music initiatives including several live streamed concerts. This move to #1 comes right as the world gears for the biggest night in music: the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2010  on September 12th.

"Our strategy has always been based on connecting fans with the most engaging content, whether it's exclusive artist interviews, live streamed concerts and events, music videos, or dynamic musical moments found nowhere else," said Van Toffler, President, MTV Networks Music/Films/Logo Group. "By building this unparalleled musical playground for the consumer to relish in, we've earned the #1 music category to boot and that makes us feel like we're delivering on all fronts."

"Over the last year, we've focused our efforts on extending our reach by launching compelling music experiences and franchises and making strategic partnerships," said Dermot McCormack, MTV Networks Music & Logo Executive Vice President. "As a result, MTV Music Group has created the premiere network of online music destinations for fans wanting to engage in comprehensive and socially connected music experiences."

In order to drive organic traffic and referrals, MTV Music Group focused on providing multiple ways for fans to engage with artists and their music including exclusive interviews and news, a series of live stream concert one-off events and franchises, music videos, exclusive artists experiences, photos and lyrics. Notable franchises include Unplugged, Live in NYC, PUSH and You Oughta Know.

In the last year, MTV Music Group has forged several strategic partnerships including deals with Warner Music Group, OurStage and Eventful. Each deal bolstered MTV Music Group's reach and provided fans with increased access to the some of the world's top artists (Warner Music Group), emerging artists (OurStage) and live events (Eventful).

MTV Music Group has been pioneering in its implementation of social media to drive traffic and brand awareness. Recently, MTV Music Group partnered with AT&T for a cross brand franchise, "POSTED" which provides music fans with a singular destination to find social media updates, videos, news and photos of their favorite artists. Separately, MTV partnered with ZYNC from American Express for a summer long search for the first MTV TJ (Twitter Jockey) to serve as the audience's inside voice within MTV. In addition, MTV Music Group has forged relationships with major social players including Twitter and Foursquare.

In the coming months, MTV Music Group will reveal several high level music initiatives with major label and indie artists spanning various genres, including several live stream web events.

About MTV Networks:

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 28 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one full day-ad supported network for P12-24.  Online, MTV.com averaged 24.5 million monthly unique visitors during the second quarter of 2010 -- up +13% year-over-year.  Average video streams for the second quarter of 2010 increased +8% from Q1/2010. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving young males, music fans, and college students like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in… www.mtvpress.com

SOURCE MTV Networks