Sony lifts curtain on MTV content for PSP

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is to make popular MTV programming available on the UMD (Universal Media Disc) format for its PSP (PlayStation Portable) system.

This is the first such collaboration between Sony and a major TV content provider.

The initial set of UMD videos are available for $14.99 beginning this week, and will allow PSP owners to watch MTV shows on the PSP's LCD widescreen, or on a TV display when using the newly designed PSP's video-out feature.

Among the MTV titles available at retail now are Beavis & Butt-head: The Mike Judge Collection, Jackass, Wildboyz, Viva La Bam, and Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection.

"This collaboration with MTV is a key first step in meeting the needs of our consumers, who are utilising PSP as a video player more than ever and are thirsting for more content, particularly short-form videos," said Phil Rosenberg, senior vice president of sales and business development, SCEA.

"MTV's programming is hugely popular, and SCEA can utilise our internal resources to appropriately manage the publishing and distribution of these hit shows on UMD."

Sony claims an install base of more than 10 million PSP users in North America, and 1.4 million units sold over the holidays alone, with momentum boosted by the recent launch of the newly designed lighter, slimmer PSP, which adds a video-out port enabling consumers to watch videos at full standard-definition (720 x 480 resolution) on a TV.