'The Daily Show' and Other MTV Networks Programs to Get Exclusive Online Destinations

All the satirical news coverage you could ever hope for is coming soon to an exclusive online destination site near you.

MTV Networks is set to launch TheDailyShow.com early next year, a one-stop shop for users to search the entire video history of ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ – “every headline, every interview and every ‘Back in Black.’ The site will also feature the previous evening’s episode in its entirety for viewing and discussion.”

The hit show headlines the network’s just announced online media strategy that is set to introduce at least two dozen similarly targeted websites by the beginning of next year.  The offerings will either expand upon already popular TV shows or will be inspired by topics with which their audiences can easily engage. This includes ‘The Sarah Silverman Program’ and a repository for all of Comedy Central’s joke-related content, to a cheats site for gamers and a destination for fans of gay animation.

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Six months ago, MTV Network’s president of digital media, Mika Salmi talked a big game about plans to

build thousands of websites worldwide. It’s about time he acted on his word.  “We’re taking an open approach with our content on the Web, allowing our consumers to share, embed, influence and interact with everything they see on-air and online,” said Salmi. Smart move.

We’ve said it here before: what internet-TV needs is the development of high-quality niche content and targeted entertainment experiences, not catch-all content warehouses. MTV’s announcement – along with MSN’s development of an online home for ‘Arrested Development’ and Comedy Central’s introduction of the innovative SouthPark Studios site – shows that traditional television is starting to recognize the power of appealing to micro-markets with dynamic experiences.

Earlier, Salmi also noted that, “People tend to find content on the Internet through thousands of front doors as opposed to one.” Quite true. Being big is over. Portals are a thing of the past. Here’s to thousands of choices.