MTV will align all of its hip hop-themed programming and online content under the MTV Jams brand name, the network announced Thursday.
MTV Jams, which is currently a 24-hour channel reaching 29 million households, will now serve as the brand for all hip hop programming on MTV, MTV2 and MTV.com, according to company officials. The initiative includes the launch of a digital site, Jams.mtv.com, a landing site that will feature all of MTV's hip hop content.
In addition, MTV2 on Oct. 28 will launch h a new weekly series dubbed The Week In Jams . MTV will also hire new hip hop experts that will join MTV News' Sway Calloway as the voice of hip hop across all MTV brands, and will present a series of concert tours that will provide fans exclusive access to their favorite artists starting with the forthcoming Trey Songz "Chapter V" tour featuring Miguel.
"MTV has been a pioneer and leader in expanding hip hop culture from a regional movement in the early 80s to a cultural powerhouse that now extends across all ages, races and regions, and has truly crossed over into a lifestyle more than just a genre of music," said Amy Doyle, executive vice president of MTV Music & Talent Programming Strategy in a statement. "We're once again looking to innovate in the space to make hip hop artists and culture more accessible to a wider fan base than ever before."
