MTV channel buys online college newspaper firm

By Caroline McCarthy
Staff Writer, CNET News.com Published: August 2, 2006 9:16 AM PDT

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MTVU, an MTV Networks-owned channel geared toward college students, has purchased Youth Media & Marketing Networks (Y2M). Y2M owns College Publisher, which provides Web-based publishing and content management software geared toward online student newspapers. It counts approximately 450 colleges among its clients. Under the auspices of an MTV Networks channel, Y2M hopes to have access to a broader base of advertisers as well as more online tools to facilitate activities with proven student appeal--such as music downloading and social networking.

The MTVU channel is not available through traditional cable or satellite TV packages; it's instead marketed to universities and broadcasted through campus cable systems or in common spaces like student lounges and gyms. Additionally, MTVU is beta testing "MTVU Uber," a streaming broadband version of the channel.