MSN Joins MIPTV Content 360 Competition

PARIS, December 19: MSN
has come on board alongside the BBC and the National Film Board of Canada to
seek out new ideas from the Content 360 competition at MIPTV, offering up to
$10,000 in development funding.

This is the first time
that MSN will participate with its own category at the annual competition for digital
creators, interactive agencies and producers at MIPTV, set for March 30 to
April 3 in Cannes. MSN will award the winner up to $10,000 in development funds
to help produce, execute and distribute the winning original video on MSN.

"The Content 360
competition opens a global window of opportunity for MSN to uncover original
online ideas that integrate MSN Video and other Microsoft platforms such as
Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Zune, MSN Mobile, Windows Media Center, Windows Live
Messenger or Live Search," said Joe Michaels, the senior director for MSN.
"We're excited about what we are going to see this year as we continue to
develop MSN Originals through this competition and through our existing
partnerships."

The BBC, a partner of the
Content 360 competition since its inception in 2006, is on the lookout for
creative ideas in three categories: Factual Content via your Mobile, Engaging
Teenagers Locally and Entertainment TV over Broadband.

The NFB, meanwhile, has
created a new competition category for 2009; it is seeking co-production ideas
for interactive documentaries with a green theme. The winning project will get
funding up to 12,000 euros.

With further competition
partners and categories to be announced soon, Reed MIDEM is expecting record
participation for the fourth Content 360. "In these tough times, the role
of Content 360 is especially valuable in supporting innovation and bringing new
media partners together for business," said Ted Baracos, the director of
digital media at MIPTV.

Finalists, which will be
announced by mid-February, will pitch their projects at MIPTV. The competition
winners will be announced on April 1, during "The Content 360 Zapping
Show."

—By Mansha Daswani