MTV eyeing expanding myMTV beyond Japan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) MTV Networks is eyeing an expansion of its myMTV mobile video social network to other countries beyond Japan, said MTV's president for global digital media, Mika Salmi, on Wednesday.

The service lets members use cell phones to share their favorite videos with others in the community. It has been growing in popularity since it kicked off in Japan, leading the company to eye more launches in countries that may or may not include Holland, South Korea or the United States.

"We're looking at where that's an interesting model for us in other parts of the world," Salmi said at the Reuters Media Summit.

While media companies such as MTV are looking to win new audiences among cell phone users, mobile phone providers are banking on advanced services like mobile video and music to maintain growth even as voice call prices fall.

Salmi said MTV has agreements with more than 80 wireless operators around the world, including the top U.S. providers.

He also said adoption of mobile video is further ahead in the United States than in Europe.

"People think of the U.S. being behind in terms of mobile. In terms of mobile video, it's actually ahead in some ways in terms of actual adoption and usage," the executive said, suggesting that the way U.S. operators charge for the service is helping growth in terms of user numbers.

"We think it's because of the business model, the all-you-can-eat flat rate fees," Salmi said.

"In most other countries, it's pay per clip, pay per megabyte or pay per minute," he added, "I think that's hampered, especially in Europe, the adoption."

(Click here to see Reuters MediaFile blog)

(Reporting by Sinead Carew, editing by Phil Berlowitz)