Nokia turns to TV to push music service

In a desperate attempt to drum up interest in its music service, Nokia is to launch its own TV show. The Nokia Green Room is to be shown on Channel 4 with exclusive extra bits only available through the online service.

The show will run from April this year, and will feature live music as well as "reality-style" bits filmed using hidden cameras and microphones in the green room where acts hang out before they go on stage.

Some of these bits won't be shown during the 30 minute broadcasts, but will be held back as exclusive elements only available through the Nokia store. Nokia hasn't been able to confirm to us that this content will be free, but that seems likely - getting people to download content the first time is the hardest thing, so if the show can get punters to log onto the store then the battle is half won.

Officially the show is being funded by Channel 4 and Nokia, though we understand that Nokia is putting up most of the cash. It's being produced by Whizz Kid Entertainment.

Nokia has been investing in some strange things lately, but at least this is traditional media. Depending on the bands they can get it should rate an audience - still, the pilot only managed 600,000 viewers despite featuring Girls Aloud and The Feeling.

Given that the acts will know they're being broadcast we can't help wondering if there'll be another green room, where they can actually relax before entering the Nokia Green Room and then finally getting up on stage, but we'll settle for anything less staged than the cringe-worthy "behind the scenes" elements put out by Katie and Peter in their eponymous chat show. ®