MTV Award Show Tries Adding TV to Movie Mix

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Struggling MTV is puffing up its MTV Movie Awards by adding prizes for popular TV to the program.

The new MTV Movie & TV Awards will air live on May 7 at 8 p.m. from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Awards shows have been a staple of TV, particularly those that air live. But for MTV, last year’s Video Music Awards drew just 6.5 million, down 34%, despite airing on 11 networks owned by parent company Viacom. Viewership of last year's Movie Awards rose as it aired on five more networks than in 2015.

Related: Lily Neumeyer Appointed Development Head for MTV and VH1

The MTV Movie & TV Awards sponsors include Always, Diamond Producers Association, Taco Bell and Toyota.

Leading up to the live show, MTV will stage a Movie & Television Festival, featuring live music, special guests and food outside the Shrine Auditorium.

As part of his strategy to turn around Viacom, CEO Bob Bakish is looking to ramp up in-person events as a way to reach additional consumers.

Casey Patterson, who was executive producer of last year’s MTV Movie Awards, will produce this year’s live show as well, along with MTV’s Garrett English.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.