Adam FlomenbaumUser generated content makes for great TV, and Viacom has time and time again found ways to bring the best (and worst) of the internet to the masses. Tosh.O and Ridiculousness continue to attract viewers, make for great schedule fillers, and are low budget formats.
Viacom today announced that it will be adding a new show, Clickbait, to its roster. The show will premiere on MTV International on May 1 and will center on music-inspired viral video content. Clickbait is narrated by comedian Akaash Singh and unlike the host-green screen formats of Tosh.O and Ridiculousness, will be shot through the perspective of Singh’s mobile device.
“We’re constantly experimenting with fresh approaches to programming in ways that resonate with our viewers all around the world,” Bruce Gillmer, Head of Music and Music Talent, Viacom Global Entertainment Group, tells Found Remote. “Clickbait’s format felt natural to the way our audience is already consuming this type of content. The show’s mimicking of the mobile experience is just that; it’s meant to be a total lean back experience. We wanted it to feel like casually watching “music” clips with a funny, sarcastic friend — complete with tongue-in-cheek, irreverent commentary.”
MTV has certainly expanded beyond music, but Clickbait is a return to and showcase of its roots, albeit in a much-updated way.
“Music is at the heart of MTV’s brand, so it’s naturally woven into the way we think about our content,” says Gillmer. “MTV International’s Clickbait is a music flavored spin on the clip-driven format our audience loves. Though the clips on Clickbait can be anything—funny, inspiring or just weird—the overarching theme is that they’re all inspired by music, like we and our audience are.”
Grace LeDuc
