Mania TV - 08/11/2005
What happens when you take the medium of traditional Television Broadcasting and combine it with the much less traditional medium of the Internet? Well, you'll probably end up with a television set for the new millennium, you'll definitely end up with something new and edgy, and you're going to end up here at ManiaTV! ManiaTV.com had 1 million viewers in February and has been doubling its audience each month!
It is the first Internet television network that freely offers television-quality streaming audio and video available to anyone in the world with broadband Internet access. Since launching in September 2004, ManiaTV! has developed a cult following among the teenage and young adult markets seeking the latest and coolest in music, sports, and entertainment. Featuring 24-hour, around-the-clock live programming, ManiaTV! delivers more than 30 original programs, while its interactive capabilities like chat, webcams and message boards allow viewers to interact with the programming and on-air personalities in real-time. We caught up with on-air CJ, Christy and got the real scoop on what’s going on!
Who started ManiaTV!?
Drew Massey
Where did the idea for ManiaTV! first spawn from?
Drew Massey came upon the idea at a cheeseburger shack called "The Dutch Goose" after meeting with the founders of Excite.com
ManiaTV! - How did you decide on the name?
Fun, interactive, irreverent, Internet based TV could only be one thing--ManiaTV!
What brought you to NewTek products?
After careful research, ManiaTV! felt that NewTek Inc. was going to be the best fit for all our needs.
What Specific products are used to produce ManiaTV!?
Specifically, ManiaTV! uses the NewTek VT[4] (Video Toaster four) on a daily basis. VT[4] supports ManiaTV! in the following areas:
• Live Switching
• Editing
• Character Generator
• Encoding
• 3-D Lightwave
• Capturing/Digitizing
Can you describe the relationship you have with NewTek ‘s VT[4]?
Since launching in September of last year, ManiaTV! has worked with NewTek Inc. to develop and maintain content for the network. ManiaTV! is now reaching 1.6 million viewers a month, which means the need for fast and fresh content is a necessity. When the production team receives the latest music video or short film, they are able to digitize, edit and play it live in a matter of minutes using VT[4].
Are there any challenges that VT[4] helped you over come?
VT[4] makes teaching new team members an easy task. The user friendly capabilities allow ManiaTV! to save time on training. According to ManiaTV! Production Manager Amber Sutera, “The user-friendly aspects of the VT[4] software help us get a faster turn around time for clips and videos. VT[4] is reliable and stable, its one less thing we have to worry about while running a 24 hour network.”
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
As ManiaTV! continues to grow it’s audience; NewTek Inc. products are going to become increasingly important. In addition to the free software upgrade options, the NewTek Inc. website (www.NewTek.com) offers the latest downloads to keep ManiaTV! up to date on NewTek Inc. feature products and improvements.
