Viacom to Launch Gay Network
Viacom Inc. has come up with a name and a launch date for its much-anticipated cable network targeted to the gay and lesbian community, but it remains vague on details about how it will program the channel.
Dubbed Logo, the network will launch Feb. 17. MTV Networks President Judy McGrath said that name was chosen because it "avoids stereotypical images and icons."
The underlying theme of the channel, she said, is "different together," and besides gays and lesbians it also will look to attract bisexual and transgender viewers.
Tom Freston, the chairman of Viacom's MTV Networks, which will oversee Logo, said the channel would be offered to cable operators as a digital service. Right now there are about 22 million cable subscribers who receive digital cable channels. Mr. Freston said he expects Logo to be in between 10 million and 14 million homes by the end of next year.
The network said it already has distribution commitments from Time Warner Inc.'s New York City cable system and Adelphia Communications Corp.'s Los Angeles system. While Mr. Freston declined to say how much Viacom would invest in the channel beyond "millions of dollars," he said he expects it will be profitable within three years.
With all of its other cable and broadcast assets, including MTV, CBS, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, Viacom also will have a lot of leverage to persuade cable and satellite firms to carry Logo. Viacom won't face much competition for this genre. Canada has a gay-themed channel called PrideVision TV that is trying to launch in the U.S. A gay channel called Here, based in Los Angeles, also is trying to make a mark.
Parents Television Council, a conservative media watchdog, said it is concerned, not so much because of who the Logo channel is targeting but rather who is behind it. "MTV targets very young viewers and they're very irresponsible in their treatments of sexual situations, and I do have concerns about the themes and messages they would be conveying to viewers on this kind of a network," said Melissa Caldwell, director of research at the Parents Television Council.
"We know some people are uncomfortable with the concept of the gay and lesbian community, period," Mr. Freston said. "However, it is fair to say it has reached a level in the last several years of being increasingly mainstream."
Initially, the channel will relay heavily on acquired programming, including movies such as "Gods & Monsters" and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" Ms. McGrath said Logo has 40 concepts for original programs in development.
维亚康姆即将推出同性恋频道
维亚康姆(Viacom Inc.)已经为其备受期待的面向同性恋团体的有线网络电视频道确定了名称和首播日期，但是该公司却对该频道的节目制作含糊其词。
维亚康姆旗下MTV Networks总裁Judy McGrath称，名为Logo的同性恋频道将于明年2月17日推出。McGrath称，该频道的主题独树一帜，除男同性恋者和女同性恋者外，还力图吸引双性恋者和变性者收看。
负责Logo同性恋频道的MTV Networks董事长Tom Freston称，将以数字形式向有线电视营运商提供该频道服务。目前约有2,200万有线电视用户收看数字有线频道。Freston称，预计到明年年底将有1,000万至1,400万个家庭收看Logo频道。
MTV Networks称，已同时代华纳公司(Time Warner Inc)旗下纽约市有线系统和Adelphia Communications Corp.旗下的洛杉矶市有线系统达成播放该节目的协议。尽管Freston拒绝透露维亚康姆对该频道的投资数额，但他预计该频道将在3年内实现盈利。
