MTV is taking a Generation X look at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games. With the blessing of NBC -- which owns TV rights to the 2002 Winter Olympics -- the music channel is developing specially tailored programming from the 2002 games in Salt Lake City that will air on several regular MTV series in February.
MTV will air special episodes of the regular weekly series "Diary," "Undercover," and "Total Request Live" ("TRL"). The shows will take a music and lifestyle bent, looking at the celebrations, people and music that make up this year's winter contest.
MTV's Olympic-themed shows will include "TRL Olympic Week" (Feb. 8, 3:30 p.m. ET), "Diary of Hannah Hardaway," (Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m. ET), and "Olympics Undercover With Jeremy Bloom and the Foo Fighters" (Feb. 15, 5 p.m. ET). Hardaway and Bloom are popular members of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. In addition, MTV's daily music show "TRL" will provide daily reports and special features filed by correspondent Hillary Burton from the Games.
NBC hopes MTV's Olympics connection will boost the number of 18- to 34-year-old viewers of its own Games coverage. "The involvement of MTV's signature programming in the Salt Lake Olympics furthers our efforts to increase the relevance and buzz to MTV's core audience," NBC Olympics executive VP Gary Zenkel said.
As previously reported, the Games will be a hotbed for fans of both music and sports. Sting, Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Robbie Robertson, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will participate in the Feb. 8 opening ceremonies at Rice-Eccles Stadium, while 'N Sync, Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, Charlotte Church, Josh Groban, and Harry Connick Jr. will all take part in the closing ceremonies.
In addition, nightly superstar concerts will take place in the Olympic Medals Plaza, which can accommodate approximately 20,000 spectators, according to the Salt Lake Olympic Committee. The lineup will feature Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band, 'N Sync, Martina McBride, Creed, and others.
MTV will air special episodes of the regular weekly series "Diary," "Undercover," and "Total Request Live" ("TRL"). The shows will take a music and lifestyle bent, looking at the celebrations, people and music that make up this year's winter contest.
MTV's Olympic-themed shows will include "TRL Olympic Week" (Feb. 8, 3:30 p.m. ET), "Diary of Hannah Hardaway," (Feb. 13, 5:30 p.m. ET), and "Olympics Undercover With Jeremy Bloom and the Foo Fighters" (Feb. 15, 5 p.m. ET). Hardaway and Bloom are popular members of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. In addition, MTV's daily music show "TRL" will provide daily reports and special features filed by correspondent Hillary Burton from the Games.
NBC hopes MTV's Olympics connection will boost the number of 18- to 34-year-old viewers of its own Games coverage. "The involvement of MTV's signature programming in the Salt Lake Olympics furthers our efforts to increase the relevance and buzz to MTV's core audience," NBC Olympics executive VP Gary Zenkel said.
As previously reported, the Games will be a hotbed for fans of both music and sports. Sting, Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Robbie Robertson, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will participate in the Feb. 8 opening ceremonies at Rice-Eccles Stadium, while 'N Sync, Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, Charlotte Church, Josh Groban, and Harry Connick Jr. will all take part in the closing ceremonies.
In addition, nightly superstar concerts will take place in the Olympic Medals Plaza, which can accommodate approximately 20,000 spectators, according to the Salt Lake Olympic Committee. The lineup will feature Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band, 'N Sync, Martina McBride, Creed, and others.
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