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Executives at the all-music cable television network Fuse feel they've plugged into something big.
On warmer days, crowds of teenagers gather outside the window of Fuse's new, $12 million streetfront studio, on Seventh Avenue across from Madison Square Garden. The press has given a big thumbs-up to the network's tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign, which features "anti-spokespeople" such as air Club for Men founder Sy Sperling and cheesy late-night cable hostess Robin Byrd. Fuse closed out 2003 with a nearly 20% gain in subscribers.
Another positive indicator has nothing to do with press coverage or ratings. "We hear from artists, 'We watch your channel on our tour buses,'" says President Marc Juris. They do so because Fuse plays videos before they appear on MTV, and bands have noticed.
Rare achievement
Fuse, which started life in the mid-1990s as MuchMusic USA, has managed to do what no one else has done over the past 23 yearsestablish an alternative to the Viacom empire of MTV, MTV2 and VH1.
"It was assumed for so long that it was an utterly impossible mission to launch another music channel," says Mr. Juris. "We've proven you don't need all the money...