U.S. National News - Reuters

Viacom's MTV to Launch Gay Cable Network

By Kenneth Li

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV Networks on Tuesday said it plans to launch a new entertainment cable channel catering to gay viewers, in a bid to snatch a piece of the action from successful gay-themed shows such as "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and "The L Word."

The music television network, a unit of Viacom Inc., plans to launch the channel, called LOGO, on basic cable by February 2005.

"We want LOGO to be the first stop for gay and lesbian people," Judy McGrath, MTV Networks President told reporters.

The announcement caps off months of deliberations over launching a separate channel, as marketers salivate over the growing and potentially lucrative group with a disposable income worth up to $500 billion.

MTV executives said programming will be comprised of about 25 percent originally developed shows, with the remainder coming from outside sources.

The network will also collaborate with other Viacom units including CBS News, MTV and VH1 for programming.

Executives declined to elaborate on its slate of shows, which it plans to do this summer at the annual television critics summer tour.

MTV executives said they expect to launch the network in about 10 to 14 million homes in February, and has already received a distribution commitments from Time Warner Cable in the New York area and Adelphia Communications Corp in Los Angeles.

Comcast Corp ., the largest U.S. cable operator, is also in discussions to possibly carry the network, MTV executives said.

A Comcast spokesman was not immediately reachable for comment.

The launch could complicate matters for parent company Viacom as it defends against indecency charges by the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) related to radio broadcasts of the Howard Stern show.

"We don't think it's indecent," said Tom Freston, MTV Networks Chairman and CEO, regarding the new network. "We're not using profanity, we're not using sex. This will be mainstream programming you're seeing everywhere else with the exception it will be targeting the lesbian and gay communities."

He added, "We think it's a legitimate and growing community."

LOVE that last line - WHAT a fucking TWAT.

Dontcha just LOVE it when whole communities are viewed as mere commodoties?

The only 'Pink Pound' I wanna give right now is via a swift right hook.

You already have a cable channel. Lifetime for women. I swear the only people I know who watch that channel are gay men.

I hope they play reruns of Lost In Space...Dr. Smith was my favorite television fag role model.

And maybe they could play old episodes of the Paul Lynde Show, the short-lived '60s sitcom where he played a closeted married businessman with a hippie daughter.

And for the young'uns, they could play the DROIDS cartoon, featuring my favorite stereotypically fussy, bitchy and co-dependent queen of all time - C3PO!!!



Seriously...this is lame. It's not community building, it's just more niche marketing bullshit. I'm sure the circuit nancies and the fundraiser gala queens will fall all over this crap, and all the "fringe" elements of the queer community (and by "fringe" i'm defining folks who I consider anything but - I'm talking about the REAL people with real lives and real connections to the real world who don't live in a fantasyworld gaytto of body fascism, aberzombie uniforms, bad house music and drugsex - but that makes for boring TV) will be marginalized even further into the murk.

meanwhile, gay male role models right now are widely considered to be "just jack", the queer eye guys and those triflin' skank trolls on QAF. greeeaaat. - and nobody in the media challenges or criticizes this! and when someone kiiiinda sorta does, the response is "oh, quit being such a killjoy, mary."

i don't see this network challenging these "norms"...especially if a mincing nelly or a bemulleted folkie dyke can bring in the advertising dollars.

sigh.

don't get me started....

CarrieMpls said:

i LOVE when they have a Charlie's Angels marathon -- they've all made great TV melodrama!

oooh. wow. this is too exciting. i can't wait.

CarrieMpls said:

No! I love Lifetime too!

Anxiety said:

while i agree with your feelings, i must admit the majority of gay people i know (and have known in the past) fit into these stereotypes that we're sick of seeing. queer as folk is not successful because its innaccurate in in portrayal of gay men. now, i'm not saying all gay guys are like this...lord knows i'm not...but many, many are.

SassyBritches said:

The majority of gay people I know are just trying to figure out how to deal with the legalities of adopting/having children...getting married, dealing with jobs and families and relationships and other everyday things JUST LIKE ALL OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
I'd love to see a TV show that deals with the issues gay couples go through in adopting/having children...actually, "ER" did a great job of that with the Dr. Carrie Weaver storyline this season.
The QE guys are just a bunch of gay Aunt Jemimas...they need to be stopped!

I smell rupret everett marathons.

applekisses said:

Will you be the Liza to my David? I'll even let you beat me - just don't bruise the botox.

SassyBritches said:

yeah, i know what you're saying, though interestingly enough the majority of gay men i know DON'T fit into these stereotypes (of course, most of the gay men i know are deliciously geeked-out new york freaks and a smattering of chicago gayliens). but having worked at an LGBT community center in NYC for five years, i know...the stereotypes are not inaccurate. but i have to wonder how much of the living, breathing stereotypes come from people searching for their queer identity and finding a quick fix in these TV shows we're fed? i mean, if people were given alternatives to the cult of the FAAAABulous sex addict in kenneth cole mules, maybe there'd be more of an invitation for diversity in the actual community. but sadly, i don't think we're ready for that particular jelly at this time.

what the world needs now is janeane garofalo in the body of a gay man. this has been my mantra for many years, and i'm stickin' to it.

bananacologne said:

Lost for words here.

Yeah, this is a stupid idea.


But shut the fuck up! Quit bitching! A channel like this was inevitable, and there's already one North of the border! In all honesty, how is this any different than Lifetime, BET, or any other niche channel? Or niche magazines, for that matter! But a lot people accept those without complaining, even though they're chock-full of every so-called positive stereotype you can imagine. It'll be the same with the new Gay channel. If you don't like it, don't watch.

meow85 said:

no!

we ain't talking about a prince download here, we're talking about social politics and the media here, mmkay? this is the kind of thing that only evolves when enough people "bitch". so shut the fuck up about telling people to shut the fuck up, cuz it's just gonna make whinging whining bitching complainers like ME screech even louder!

in fact, you know what, i take it back...keep telling folks to be quiet. it's very motivating.

Anxiety said:

The more everyone struggles for equality, the more corporations find ways to exploit it to their advantage. Unfortunately, this leads to everyone being compartmentalised. "Black Entertainment Television", "Television For Women", "Television for Men", etc.


Howzabout we quit this shit and have television for humans??? Its time we knocked off the labels, and started looking at the big picture.

JediMaster said:

CarrieMpls said:

LMFAO!!!

I'm glad this is happening, and I will be tuning in. One step at a time, give the network some time to grow and perhaps it will shed the inevitable stereotypes and develop more sophisticated and realistic programs.

The big thing is, that large companies are no longer shying away from the gay community these days. They're not afraid of the wrath of holy rollers any more.

JediMaster said:

The thing is, I don't have to watch Spike TV just cuz I'm a guy. Someone thats black doesn't have to watch BET. If programs with similar themes are grouped into particular chanels, it's really just for convenience, it's not the definitive word on what various cultures are.

SIGN ME UP!!

I'd gladly pay extra for a gay station ...and it could be FABULOUS!

I'd like to see "Gay Talk TV"- informative and educational programs that enlighten their viewers. "Gay News" could address many political/equal rights issues and reach many more people(voters)- even people who aren't gay. And you know any "Gay Dating Show" will be a HOT MESS!! We could have a "made for Gay TV Movie of the Week" with real and fantasy situations. And how about some "Gay TV Commercials?"

I'm all for it- bring it on!
[This message was edited Wed May 26 8:40:54 2004 by CynthiasSocks]
[This message was edited Wed May 26 8:42:24 2004 by CynthiasSocks]

Tom said:

True. I just get tired of these seperations. In my opinion, we are just further segregating our soceity. I watch BET, Spike and other such stuff (I can honestly say I don't watch the "women's" channels often, unless they're focusing on an artist I like. Most of the time its stuff that no woman I know would watch. I digress) and I see programming on these that appeals to me. I just don't see the need to divide this stuff up for a certain race or group.

I personally could take it or leave it.

applekisses said:

MY ASS IMPLANTS!!!! BE CAREFUL!!! AIM FOR THE CRACK!!!












and yes, ladies and gentlemen of the org, i really did just type the words "aim for the crack".

pardon the pun, but i have now officially hit bottom.

how does this impact

2the9s?

Lammastide said:

Personally - I'll take it!

You just wanted to say twat....

I love it!

CarrieLee said:

...Your Avatar!

But I just want a Gay Channel for Gay Guys only!

bananacologne said:

Anxiety said: