Ex-MTV executive Les Garland has been touting his Tube Music TV service for about a year now, but the channel is just starting gather to momentum. The Tube has announced a distribution agreement with Tribune Broadcasting Company who operate 26 television stations in 22 markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
THE TUBE is the first music network to be distributed using the new broadcast technology known a
s digital multicasting. Viewers will be able to receive the network free, over-the-air on television sets equipped with digital tuners and on the digital cable tier where available. Tribune stations will begin broadcasting THE TUBE Music Network programming in local markets this summer.
Another outlet for music and music videos can never be a bad thing. But in an era of video on demand via the net and cable and increased narrow-casting; it's hard to see how a broad appeal music channel is a smart long term business plan. Or is it - much like MTV was in the early days of cable - just a way widen programming with content produced and paid for by record labels and others?
Read the press release here.
