Cable/Music: Call it “MTV Meets the Home...

Cable/Music: Call it “MTV Meets the Home Shopping Network.” German-based Bertelsmann Music Group is teaming up with Tele-Communications Inc. on a new cable channel that will show music videos and also allow viewers to shop from home for such music-related products as concert tickets and T-shirts. The channel, which has no name yet, will be rolled out through TCI and other cable systems over the next year. Bertelsmann executives say there are no plans to emphasize the sale of compact discs, a move that would no doubt alienate music retailers, and added that the channel also won’t limit itself to showing videos of BMG artists. Bertelsmann said the channel will not be a clone of MTV because it will emphasize various “cutting edge” music and reflect the regional tastes of its viewers. TCI said technological developments will eventually allow viewers to call up music videos on demand.