According to the New York Times, even for overachievers who are used to multitasking, the idea of watching two versions of the same television show at the same time � one on television and one on a computer � is something that is probably foreign to most people over the age of 30.
To the eternally young brains that run MTV, however, it is the next step in reshaping their business. Beginning this summer with the MTV Video Music Awards and continuing in the fall with the cable channel's live afternoon program, "Total Request Live," MTV will offer two simultaneous versions of each show, one on television and another, focusing on a behind-the-scenes narrative, on its broadband channel, MTV Overdrive.
"We do tons of research on our audience, and it shows that they are instant messaging and listening to music and watching TV all at the same time," said Christina Norman, president of MTV. "We've definitely seen them become more adept at navigating through multiple media. They live comfortably in several worlds at once."
The Overdrive component, located at mtv.com, will feature a sort of video digression that will continue to stream live while the television show is broadcasting commercials. For example, if a viewer wants to watch an entire music video after a snippet is shown on the "Total Request Live" video countdown, or take a backstage tour with Jamie Foxx after he finishes his onstage appearance on the set of "T.R.L." (as the show is familiarly known), Overdrive will be the place to turn.
To the eternally young brains that run MTV, however, it is the next step in reshaping their business. Beginning this summer with the MTV Video Music Awards and continuing in the fall with the cable channel's live afternoon program, "Total Request Live," MTV will offer two simultaneous versions of each show, one on television and another, focusing on a behind-the-scenes narrative, on its broadband channel, MTV Overdrive.
"We do tons of research on our audience, and it shows that they are instant messaging and listening to music and watching TV all at the same time," said Christina Norman, president of MTV. "We've definitely seen them become more adept at navigating through multiple media. They live comfortably in several worlds at once."
The Overdrive component, located at mtv.com, will feature a sort of video digression that will continue to stream live while the television show is broadcasting commercials. For example, if a viewer wants to watch an entire music video after a snippet is shown on the "Total Request Live" video countdown, or take a backstage tour with Jamie Foxx after he finishes his onstage appearance on the set of "T.R.L." (as the show is familiarly known), Overdrive will be the place to turn.