MGM Worldwide Digital Media and YouTube have announced a multiple channel commitment that kicks off with Impact and American Gladiators. The two ‘channels’ are aimed at promoting the VOD offer on other platforms.
MGM’s Impact launched as a VOD offering in partnership with Comcast. It has quickly become one of the cable operator’s most popular on-demand offerings, amassing more than 12 million views since launching in August. The YouTube channel is an extension of the popular brand dedicated exclusively to action programming and will feature clips from classic MGM action films such as Rocky, Ronin, Legally Blonde, and The Magnificent Seven and action television shows and full length movies such as Lone Wolf McQuade and Bulletproof Monk.
American Gladiators is a channel which showcases highlights and full episodes from the recently revived show that took America by storm during the 1980s and 1990s.
“We’re looking to mine the breadth and depth of the MGM library to build out and promote branded, multiplatform opportunities on demand, online and wherever viewers consume their entertainment,” said Jim Packer, co-president, MGM Worldwide Television, in a statement. “Our agreement with YouTube opens the door to a number of themed broadband channels that will both serve the consumers’ growing appetite for entertainment media consumption in the digital space and ‘on demand’ space.”
The two YouTube channels will be refreshed with new videos every month and will be ad-supported. MGM has plans to launch additional channels on YouTube in the near future.