VH1 KICKS IT UP A NOTCH

With the channel’s flagship series Behind the Music flagging in its fifth year, the network had a clear mandate to come up with some new programming concepts.

Enter VH1 and MTV Entertainment President Brian Graden, VH1 GM Christine Norman and VH1 Exec. VP Talent & Music Programming Rick Krim, whose job now encompasses talent, programming, development and production. They’ve cooked up a slate of programs that reinvigorates past favorites and introduces new shows that delve into the lives of musicians and music-oriented celebs.

"This new regime at VH1 is looking to involve artists in ways that we haven’t before," Krim tells HITS. "Way more goes into breaking an act than playing a video, and the new programming we are developing will provide a great avenue for doing that. Historically, we have made an effort to partner with the labels on projects. We want them to get involved in the creative process."

Krim added, "We continue to evolve by broadening our musical horizons by doing programming with such a diverse range of artists from Eminem and Notorious B.I.G. to Shania and Mariah."

Graden said, "We want VH1 to be thought of as an essential partner for music labels when it comes to either breaking new artists or supporting established acts. Rick, his team and I are now ramping up our already aggressive music marketing efforts with new strategies and new thinking. These bigger relationships with the labels will help us reach our overall goal—to be THE music channel for every adult and every musical preference while celebrating music's value in our culture."

Existing artist-support vehicles Artist of the Month and Inside Track will be expanded. Artist of the Month will focus on established acts, beginning with Matchbox Twenty in November. "We’ll premiere a new Behind the Music and give significant rotation to the new video plus other programming from the library," Krim explains. "Rob Thomas also appeared on the Fashion Awards. We want to make multiple impressions on the channel and eventually expand it to other media and retail."

The new artist-driven Inside Track was instrumental in helping to break such artists as Train, Puddle of Mudd, Alicia Keys, Lifehouse, India.Arie, Five for Fighting, Norah Jones and John Mayer.

"We want to do as much off-the-air promotion and marketing as possible," says Krim.

To that end, the network plans a series of artist-specific reality/documentary specials that will be tied to the release of their new albums, including TLC, Mariah Carey and Shania Twain.

Also returning will be Driven, which uses anecdotal footage of friends, family and others to tell the stories of artists’ ascents to stardom, and Unforgettable Albums (previously titled Ultimate Albums), which focuses on historically relevant albums. Starting in November, Driven will feature the Dixie Chicks, Pink, Enrique and Whitney Houston, while Santana’s Supernatural is next up for Unforgettable Albums.

The network is in the process of retooling its year-end awards show, now named the VH1 Big in 2002 Awards, airing Dec. 4.

The new programs include:

• Liza and David, a reality show based around the lives of the recently betrothed showbiz couple.
• Music Behind Bars, a series about prisoner bands that is already causing controversy.
• Rock the House, in which an artist redecorates a fan’s home. Debut features Sammy Hagar.
• VH! Ambushed, in which aspiring musicians try out with well-known groups, the winner getting to perform with the group. Pilot features the Goo Goo Dolls.
• Inside/Out tells highly individual stories. In one episode, Warren Zevon, who’s afflicted with terminal cancer, races to complete what is very likely his final album; in another, actor/comedian Jamie Foxx records his debut disc.
• RockMeds, a weekly series, goes behind the scenes at concerts, following the Rock Medicine crew as they combine their passion for music with their medical duties.