Musician, Mogul Wants to Tap Potential of Music Videos, Give Home to Displaced Artists
"I want my Revolt TV."
Those are the five words rapperpreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs dreams will one day roll off the tongues of throngs of music fans. After spending 18 months laying the groundwork -- hiring an all-star team of execs, making flashy appearances at big ad events like Cannes, and more quietly, flying around the country to pitch big multinational marketers -- Revolt is set to launch.
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The question is: Can Diddy get it done? Can his network become the MTV of a new generation?
When the network premieres on Oct. 21, it will be available in 20 million to 30 millionComcast and Time Warner Cable homes in major markets like New York, Chicago and Dallas. But Mr. Combs is also counting on digital access to many more young people (his preferred term for millennials). And with offices on both coasts, Revolt has about 100 employees developing programming, fielding talent applications and getting the brand on every device and social-media platform.
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Just prior to our interview, Mr. Combs was poring over submissions from prospective on-air talent who had responded to a YouTube video the star posted in search of fresh faces for the network. By speaking directly to the audience through social media, Mr. Combs is trying to stay true to his mission of making Revolt a brand for the fans, by the fans, and not just his network.
We chatted with the mogul about the untapped potential for music programming, how he plans to build a home for displaced artists and why marketers should align themselves with Revolt. Our conversation has been lightly edited.
What void do you believe Revolt will fill? Why is this the right time to launch a music network?
The overall dream is not just to be a music TV network. We want to be the No. 1 music brand. Currently, music doesn't have one central headquarters. We don't have our ESPN of music, our CNN of music, our Golf Channel of music. We want to be a home for artists who are now homeless. Right now, if Jay Z has a great idea for a video, he has to premiere it on HBO because at least it's cool. Revolt is designed to be a home for the next generation of musical artists, and we are investing in the artists and fans of the future. Revolt is for artists, by artists. This won't just be the P. Diddy network.
"The No. 1 thing is credibility and truth. We won't align ourselves with an advertiser or artist unless it is credible and the truth no matter what."
Why should brands align themselves with music?
Music is the most powerful form of communication in the world. It brings us all together. Even religion separates us, but a hit record unites us across religious beliefs, race, politics. If brands align themselves with music, they align themselves with the elusive community of millennials. We offer advertisers not only a partnership, but a way to understand millennials. Some agencies have extremely smart people, but with all due respect, don't know how to talk to millennials. Just look at the name "millennials." That name that they call them isn't cool enough for them. At Revolt, we call them young men and young women; young people -- it's more personal.
Here is a caption for the photo aboveWhat is the programming strategy for the network? How much of the schedule will be music videos, music news and packaged music programming vs. general entertainment?
In the first 24 months we want you to turn on the channel from whatever device or site -- Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr -- and get the best music the world has to offer and real-time news and interviews. I am a marathon runner. I ran the New York City marathon and almost died. I tried to run like a two-minute mile early on in the race. I was crazy enough to think I could win. After seven miles I thought I would die, but I slowed down my pace and kept going. The first couple of miles with Revolt we want to run at a nice pace.
