Original content broadcasting started moving away from TV quite some time ago, with the advent of YouTube and other internet-based video hosting sites. Now with the rise and rise of social media, broadcasters are looking in other directions for fresh, unique approaches to share their programmes.
Enter MTV International, who are set to debut – on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat – their new programme, ‘Single AF’ (the AF in this case stands for “And Famous”), following the quest for love of seven well known young people who, for whatever reason, haven’t yet found love. The show follows the seven for two weeks, where they will travel to various locations around the world, go on dates with some of their combined 300 million social media followers, and ask them to test their own love theories, all the while posting live updates on their social media. These, along with the recorded footage of their dates, will be edited together into a linear show, to be screened on MTV channels globally in November this year.
Featured in the programme are Irish singer songwriters, John and Edward Grimes, better known as Jedward; US “Teen Mom”, Farrah Abraham; Geordie Shore’s Marnie Simpson, YouTuber Elliot Crawford, and Casey Johnson, formerly of Union J, all from the UK; and Australian drag artist, Courtney Act.
MTV International has commissioned independent programme maker, Gobstopper TV to make the programme, which is seen as an “experiment” for the broadcaster. Kerry Taylor is senior vice-president for youth and music at Viacom International Media Networks, the parent company of MTV. She sees the social media-first strategy of ‘Single AF’ as the “beginning of a different approach” for them, and that these are the future of content for the millennial generation. Her vision is that more platforms won’t just host content, but will also form an intrinsic part of the programme.
‘Single AF’ launches tomorrow at 7.30pm UK time, with a Facebook Live event, and will continue for two weeks. You can follow all the action here. Likewise, check out MTVSingleAF on Twitter and Instagram. Check out MTV on Snapchat, as well as your own country’s MTV Snapchat account.
