Mav’rick Entertainment Network plans to launch its new male-targeted premium network in the third quarter, officials said last week.
Mav’rick will give distributors a preview of the new subscription service MavTV by delivering it via a limited signal that will go live this month. The feed will be offered through MavTV’s partnership with Crawford Communications in Atlanta, with the sneak peek — a 45-minute sample segment — running continuously on G11 transponder 21 through May. Distributors will also be able to sample MavTV through DVDs the programmer is creating.
Last week, MavTV also lined up Philadelphia-based Plum Media Management to source its launch funding and to provide strategic advice.
Mav’rick CEO Steve Severn’s contention is that his network will be able to offer the kind of uncut content that basic-cable services for men — like Spike TV — can’t, especially after the controversy over the Janet Jackson incident at the Super Bowl.
“All the themes men gravitate toward will be featured — gadgets, finance, sports, health/fitness, movies and sex — but as a premium service, the content will be presented with raw opinions, no-holds-barred commentary and of course, it will be aired uncensored and commercial-free during shows,” Severn said in a statement.
MavTV is suggesting that distributors price the service in the $5 to $6 range when they add it on to a premium package, Severn said during an interview last week. MavTV is also a potential addition to the sports tiers that a number of MSOs are creating, according to Severn.
Cable operators have also inquired about offering MavTV content on a video-on-demand basis, he added.
In terms of its content, MavTV will have a late-night block that won’t be any racier or explicit than the fare viewers can find on Home Box Office or Showtime, according to Severn.
