Microsoft Adding MTV Clips To European MSN Video Portals

Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) is putting in to place an important deal to publish clips from MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA) shows on its MSN Video portal across Europe. The deal covers nine countries and includes shows like Punk’d, Pimp My Ride and South Park. At first the clips, which will feature on MSN Video, will come from MTV shows only but some countries will also get programming from other Viacom brands Comedy Central, Game One, Nickelodeon, Paramount Comedy and TMF. Microsoft and MTVN announced a $500 million alliance to collaborate on advertising, content distribution, event promotions and games in December. This comes out of that deal. Clips will appear on MSN Video in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden at first, with Belgium, Denmark and Norway to follow. MSN Video currently includes clips from such multiplatform video publishers as Gamer.tv, ITN and ITV.com as well as UGC videos from MSN Soapbox.