Ypulse Teen Tube Roundup

I had so many TV-oriented links today, I decided to do a separate post. My friends at Gorilla Soapbox have informed me that the Los Angeles Mashup video should be ready some time next week. We're actually launching one page that will be home to all Ypulse event podcasts including past event podcasts from New York and San Diego.

Speaking of the Los Angeles event, which featured Ypulse fan Dixie Feldman, who also happens to be editorial director at The N, there is big news coming from Viacom's teen net today. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sarah Tomassi Lindman has been tapped to head up the N. Also, they've renewed "South of Nowhere" for a third season. But what sounds really cool is a new online game they are launching Monday called "Trendetta." From the press release:

The N challenges teens to get their game on as the network launches Trendetta — its first ever, online multiplayer game that allows users to compete and chat in real-time on Monday, February 19. Teens vie for ultimate trend supremacy by deciding "What's Hot" and "What's Not" for every trend imaginable including fashion, music, celebs and much more only on The-N.com…

…"Trendetta gives our users the kind of experience that they been clamoring for by combining mashed up user-generated content, real time chat, and multiplayer gaming in a unique way," said Tony Zito, Vice President of The N Digital. "In Trendetta, the users are in control of their experience. They decide the fashions and fads trends of tomorrow."

In Trendetta, users are completely in control of the fads and fashions they choose to battle for — today's hotlist topper may be at the bottom of the heap tomorrow. Players square off against each other to control the whims of public opinion and promote their favorite trends, fashions, musicians and celebs using word of mouth, television, the internet and the much coveted celebrity endorsement. Online players challenge up to three others to challenge for trend supremacy in a turn-based strategy game, while chatting with one another about "What's Hot" and "What's Not." The top players vie to have their trend land a coveted slot on "50 Hottest Trends" list, and to earn a place in the "Trendetta Hall of Fame."

In other TV news Channel 4 in the UK had so much success promoting their teen reality show "Skins" on MySpace, according to MarketingWeek:

"The channel is planning to regularly leak news, clips and information about forthcoming shows, services and events on to the sites. It is planning to extend it to other platforms such as photo-sharing site Flickr and online, user-generated encyclopedia Wikipedia. It will also include branded downloadable "widgets" - tools that upload content to engage audience."

Also, Variety reports the BBC is launching a new teen drama described as "Buffy meets horoscopes" and the Beeb's "most ambitious Internet format to date."

In ratings news, Media Life Magazine reports he CW spin-off to "Girlfriends" called "The Game" is scoring big with teens while the new Nielsen college ratings gave a big boost to "Ugly Betty" and "Men in Trees."

Finally, in "coming soon," watch for HBO's massive series on addiction. Their publicist Laura tells me there are two teen related programs you should tune into:

The Adolescent Addict, debuting FRIDAY, MARCH 16 (9:30-10:00 p.m.ET/PT) on HBO2. The adolescent brain is not fully developed, making a young person extremely vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse. Mental disorders such as anxiety or depression can co-occur in adolescent addicts. Identifying and treating these problems, as well as the addiction, is crucial. Experts discuss how families can deal with the challenging dynamics of an addicted adolescent, while seeking the right treatment at the same time. Two effective therapies are profiled. Multi-systemic therapy, a new outpatient approach, engages not only the addict, but the addict’s community, family and environment. For some teen substance abusers, the structure of long-term residential treatment is necessary. While not new, this therapeutic community approach has evolved and softened its confrontational roots.

A Mother's Desperation, debuting SUNDAY, MARCH 18 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO2. This story of one mother’s attempt to rescue her daughter from her heroin addiction is a more complete version of a story introduced in the centerpiece film "Addiction."

P.S. See my note on yesterday's TRL post - MTV is now saying it is NOT being cancelled…but should it be?

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