LA LA COVERS 1ST DIGITAL ISSUE OF VIBE VIXEN™

La La Anthony is seen glowing on the September issue of VIBE Vixen‘s first digital publication. It has been 4 years since we last saw a copy of VIBE’s women-focused magazine. Inside, the reality television personality shares her thoughts on her highly viewed reality TV show, what she has learned from Meagan Good while working on the set of Think Like a Man and addresses the topic of the LGBT community & sexuality:


On the topic of LGBT sexuality that arises:

"My cousin Dice is a big part of my reality show and what's important to me about Dice besides, obviously, that being my cousin and one of my best friends, is Dice is dealing with sexuality issues and different things like that. I think it's important to see things like that on television because you have a lot of people struggling with who they are and trying to find themselves and worrying about if people aren't going to accept them, and it's good that we touch on these issues on the show. I think that can help a lot of people."


On her feelings about La La’s Full Court Life:

"I think people seem to be excited about it which makes me excited. People are going to find the show very interesting. It documents when Melo was traded to New York which was the biggest thing ever and [shows] just exactly how a trade goes down. And you get to see me and my friends. Whether it’s Kelly Rowland, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian, we’re all supporting each other and being there for each other. It’s a good balance on television to see successful women supporting each other, having a really strong bond and great friendship. I think it’s necessary for people to see that too on television.




La La is a positive example of a REAL basketball wife! You can check out La La’s Full Court Life every Monday at 9/8pm CST on VH1.

MTV Teases New Web Awards Event

Voting categories include Best NSFW (not safe for work) Music Video and Fan Cover

MTV is pulling back the curtain—slightly—on the O Music Awards (OMAs), the network’s mystery-shrouded, Web-only awards show, which will be held on April 28.


Though the network still won’t say what the "O" stands for—that’s up to each viewer’s interpretation—it has revealed the inaugural OMA categories for fan voting, which kicks off today at www.omusicawards.com. The eclectic list of categories and nominees includes music artists like Lady Gaga and Kanye West, music services like Pandora—up for Best Music Discovery Service—and blogs like Gorilla vs. Bear (nominated for Best Independent Music Blog). Other categories include Best NSFW (not safe for work) Music Video, Fan Cover, Must Follow Artist on Twitter, and even Best Online Fan Army.

Though all the nominees are tied to music on the Web in some fashion, the OMAs aren’t focused on a single emerging art form, as the network’s Video Music Awards were when MTV rolled those out in the 1980s. But that’s not the point, argues Dermot McCormack, evp, digital media for MTV Music and Logo Group, who says the wide variety in the new awards show shouldn’t be seen as scattershot.

“We want to reinvent how award shows work,” said McCormack. “I’m sure it is going to be weird for some people. But this is about a confluence of events, and music as a category is at the center of this.”

As for what will happen as the awards are streamed on MTV.com, VH1.com and LogoTV.com on April 28—will there be an arena, a stage, music performances, comedy?—McCormack isn’t saying.

That’s less important, he argues, than trying to get users engaged online, something other awards shows talk about but rarely deliver on. “The OMAs are more about engaging audiences with a few tent pole events,” he said. “The main event is the conversations happening on the way up to, and then the day after, the event.”

MTV has signed three OMA sponsors: adidas, Ford and FUZE. Each brand will receive in-show integrations and will sponsor one or more awards during the show.

MTV DEVELOPING 'CO-VIEWING APPS FOR THE APPLE iPAD

Magazines and newspapers aren't the only media eying big benefits upon the iPad's arrival: TV is poised to use the device in new ways, including creating interactive, social apps designed to be used while watching live programming.

MTV Networks, for example, is developing a "co-browsing app meant to be used while watching live TV," said one executive familiar with MTV's iPad plans. "This means the iPad could be the appendage that makes interactive TV a reality."

Kristin Frank, general manager of MTV and VH1 Digital, said MTV is focusing on two approaches to its apps, whether for mobile or the iPad: co-viewing apps that capture the social-media chatter around TV and awards shows and apps for video on the go. IPad apps for "Beavis and Butt-Head," "MTV News" and "VH1 To Go" are all due in April, she said.

"Fifty-nine percent of people are multitasking when watching TV -- that's something we've always known," said Ms. Frank, referring to recent Nielsen data quantifying a longstanding observation. "This is the next evolution."

Mobile phone apps to run on the iPhone and Android devices remain MTV's priority for 2010, Ms. Frank noted, but the iPad apps under construction are a reminder that TV is not about to sit the tablet out.

'Sweet spot'

Part of the idea is that mobile devices are easier and more appealing to play with while watching TV than laptop or desktop computers -- but the tablet will hit the sweet spot in between.

The iPad is going to open new opportunities, said Somrat Niyogi, CEO at the app developer Bazaar Labs. "I do think that with the iPad you are going to see a lot more conversation because the screen is bigger," he said. "People will be more receptive to typing. It's early, but you're going to see in the next 12 to 18 months a series of start-ups experimenting in new ways to layer digital on the TV experience."

Bazaar Labs has already released an iPhone app called Miso that suggests another avenue opening up. Miso users "check in" to TV shows or movies -- much like they do on Foursquare and Gowalla for physical places like bars and restaurants -- to share what they're watching on Twitter and Facebook and earn badges.

Networks and movie studios are interested in the app's ability to get viewers to broadcast what they're watching to their social networks, according to Mr. Niyogi, who recently partnered with MGM Studios so users can unlock branded badges for its movie "Hot Tub Time Machine."

Social media boost

You can see why networks and others might be intrigued by apps that revolve around what's on TV right now. Major live, broadcast events like this year's Oscars and Winter Olympics have already demonstrated how much social media chatter can surround televised events -- and boost ratings. And tweets about TV shows tend to spike as they air, often making hit shows into trending topics on Twitter during airtime, according to data from Trendrr, a tracking service for social and digital media .

Even Google TV, the search giant's planned partnership with Intel and Sony, intends to better integrate social networking and web-based applications with TV -- imagine social-networking apps for television built by developers with Google's Android operating system. The companies are reportedly working with Logitech to develop remotes with keyboards to make it easier to do things like update Twitter -- a behavior we're already seeing with users on mobile phone touchscreens or QWERTY keyboards.

Bravo recently introduced Talk Bubble, which lets viewers interact with the Real Housewives of New York, for example, while the show is on air and share comments via Twitter or Facebook. About 40% of Talk Bubble's use so far is coming from mobile devices, according to Lisa Hsia, senior VP-Bravo digital media.

KANYE WEST WILL PERFORM AT YOUR CRIB FOR $14.99

If this headline were true promoters all across America would be renting out huge MTV Crib-like mansions and charging neighborhood residence one month's mortgage for admission. Though this is highly unlikely to happen, unless of course Amber Rose is being held for ransom and all the kidnapper wants is a performance from Yeezy for his daughter's Sweet 16 (no MTV pun intended...lol). But now thanks to amazon.com we can all bring the VH1 Storytellers performance which also gives us a "Glow In The Dark Tour" rehearsal type of setting.