Music Choice

This article is about the American company. For Music Choice outside of the United States, see Music Choice International.
Music Choice
Launched 1987[1]
Owned by Music Choice LLC (Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Microsoft, Motorola/Arris, Sony Corporation of America)
Picture format 480i (Video on demand), 480p (EDTV)
Country United States
Language English
Broadcast area Nationwide
Headquarters Horsham, Pennsylvania[2]
Website www.musicchoice.com
Availability
Cable
Time Warner Cable Channels 1900 (Music Choice On Demand)
1903, 1947-1950
Verizon FiOS Channels 1799-1849
IPTV
CenturyLink Prism Channels 5101-5150

Music Choice (abbreviated as MC) is an American company that programs music and produces music-related content for digital cable television, mobile phone and cable modem users in the United States. Music Choice programs dozens of audio music channels for digital cable subscribers, as well as programs and produces music-related content for on-demand customers with access to Music Choice On-Demand. Music Choice also offers video and audio music programming for cell phones, available through the Music Choice App for iOS and Android. Music Choice's interactive music video network, SWRV, was started in February 2010 and rebranded in 2013 to Music Choice Play.

Many digital cable and telco companies carry Music Choice, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS, Grande Communications, Service Electric Cable TV, CenturyLink Prism, and Bright House Networks. Other companies offer similar audio services for commercial customers, such as Sirius XM, Muzak, DMX and Stingray Music.

Background

Music Choice's first logo used from 1987 to 1998.
Music Choice's second logo used from 1998 to 2001.
The third logo used from 2001 to 2012.

Music Choice (formerly known as Digital Cable Radio) was the first digital audio broadcast service in the world and, under its founder and CEO David Del Beccaro,[3][4][5][6] launched in test markets circa 1987. From its inception as an eight-channel audio service from Motorola's cable group, Music Choice has evolved into a multi-platform interactive music network based in New York City that reaches millions of consumers across the country. Music Choice is a partnership owned by a consortium, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, EMI Music, Microsoft, Motorola/Arris, and Sony Corporation of America.

Music Choice launched its first 24-hour interactive music video cable channel, SWRV, in February 2010.[7]

Music Choice is the first ad-supported video on demand network to be measured by Nielsen Media Research's video on demand measurement service. Audience demographics are based on Nielsen's national People Meter.[8]

Music Choice channels

As of 2014, Music Choice offers 53 linear channels: one video channel, MC Play, 46 and 4 new audio-with-slideshow channels, and one audio-only channel named Taste of Italy; the first, and last two, are only available in a few limited areas.[9]

Nearly all of Music Choice's audio music channels provide continuous music streaming with no talk, commercials or bumpers. MCU is an exception to the rule, as it has a few interruptions throughout the day when switching programing blocks.[10][11][11] Music Choice offers various streams across multiple genres, with each devoted to a particular genre. While a song is playing, artist, song and album information appears on screen as well as trivia facts, artist photos and generic graphics relevant to that particular channel.[10][12] Music Choice has an editorial staff that checks facts and finds images to provide for artists.[13] Music Choice programmers select the music based on current charts, music trends, sales, what they feel is hot in the industry and feedback from viewers.[13] All of Music Choice's channels are content edited except for six: Rap, Dance & EDM, Metal, Alternative, Rock Hits, and Adult Alternative.[13]

During each song, the screen design and logo will rotate to prevent burn-in on television screens.[10] Banner advertisements are displayed on every music channel in lieu of commercials, programmed by individual providers at the headend level via local insertion.[11][11][13] As of 2013, Music Choice has been found to be the fourth highest-ranking channel in Nielsen ratings based in the 12-34-year-old demographic.[14]

Music Choice on demand

Music Choice offers free video on demand content, including hundreds of music videos from many recording artists. Music Choice On Demand also features exclusive original programming:[15]

Original programs are also available for viewing for a limited time after their premiere.

Music Choice online

In August 2007, Music Choice began offering a free broadband music service to its cable partners for use by their cable-modem subscribers. Music Choice's free broadband music site offers subscribers access to simulcasts of all the music channels available on its television network, in addition to several online exclusives, though online-exclusive channels were eliminated on April 15, 2009.[16] Additional features include the ability to watch music videos and Music Choice original programming. This service is currently available to Comcast, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Grande Communications and Conway cable-modem users. Mobile app access to Music Choice's channels is also available on some providers via Music Choice's apps.

On August 23, 2008, Music Choice debuted user-interactive functionality, called ShowOff, as a feature of select music channels. Listeners can send in photos and short text messages via mobile phone, e-mail, AOL Instant Messenger and Music Choice's ShowOff webpage.[17]

Music Choice provided online original content known as MC Originals. The following is a list of MC Originals currently active as of July 2013:[18]

Former online-exclusive streams

Music Choice for several years featured programming exclusive to their website, streamed uninterrupted as if they were also on cable. These programs were eventually discontinued.

Mobile devices

Music Choice and SWRV also has availability on iOS devices.[19][20] As to on-demand and online content, Music Choice also has exclusive content available via mobile devices.[21] The line-up, as of July 2013, is as follows:[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Archived June 18, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "Music Choice Horsham PA, 19044 –". Manta.com. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  3. ↑ Archived August 18, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Archived February 17, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "Dan Baker". On Demand Summit. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  6. ↑ Archived December 12, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "SWRV TV - Don't Just Watch". Music Choice. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  8. ↑ "Nielsen To Measure Music Choice On Demand". Multichannel News. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  9. ↑ Archived July 21, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  10. 1 2 3 "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". Timewarnercable.com. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Archived June 1, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ "News". Appalachia Tech. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Archived June 12, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Archived June 1, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ "Music Choice Originals". Music Choice LLC. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  16. ↑ Archived July 6, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ "ShowOff". Music Choice LLC. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  18. ↑ Archived March 17, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ Archived July 2, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Archived July 2, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  21. 1 2 Archived March 10, 2013 at the Wayback Machine

External links

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