The "MTV" brand was launched in Australia during April 1987 as a music program on the free-to-air Nine Network.

Executives at MTV2 said they were aware of Fuse's feisty campaign but happy to have access to the MTV brand and its resources.

As a respons of the increased competition from other music channels and online service and the main MTV brand had deviated from its original purpose.

With the new executive team - including Robert W. Pittman, who had built the MTV brand - in place, the company began to advertise itself as a vehicle for convenience.

For his development of the MTV brand, Advertising Age selected Pittman in 2010 as one of the ten most influential marketers who transformed American Culture.

Industry analysts said, however, that the merger offered some possible new business models given potential cross-marketing and sharing of content with the MTV brand.

MTV brand: new is a German Pay TV channel.

"In people, in money and in time, MTV Tr3s is part of the MTV brand in the biggest way that we can think of," she said.

Mr. Freston said another reason for looking to shopping as a way to extend the MTV brand was because cable operators were cool to the idea of paying for new channels.

The channel replaced the Brazilian version of MTV Hits, after Viacom sold the rights of MTV brand in Brazil.