• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 13, 2008

MTV Networks is re-branding its 2-year-old HD music channel, which offers everything from country to hip hop, as Palladia. The new name replaces MHD on Sept. 1.

MTVN said that "the term Palladia conveys a sense of spectacle--a grand stage, a vast arena and the excitement of live musical performances."

The Palladium was a famed concert hall and then a nightclub in New York for years before closing in 1998. There is also an existing Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, which features top musical acts.

MTVN says Palladia, known as MHD since its 2006 launch, is now in 12 million homes. The channel will offer exclusive programming, including a different concert each Saturday night.

The network is another boon for cable and satellite operators, which are looking to provide as much HD programming as possible to keep current customers and attract new ones.

Palladia will also have a VOD offering--something cable operators believe can differentiate them from satellite competitors.

"It's a bigger, more distinct name for a channel that has grown in size as well as satisfaction among music HD fans," said Tom Calderone, executive vice president and general manager of VH1, who also oversees Palladia. "We're also reinforcing that the channel is the home for an increasingly broad range of musical styles and artists in high-definition performances that can't be seen anywhere else. We believe these changes will help our distributor partners as they continue to sell HD and strive for the best content."

The exclusive programming that MTVN said Palladia will run includes a rock movie each Thursday and extensive coverage of music festivals, in addition to the weekly concerts.

In September, as the refashioned network kicks off, its roster of "Outdoor Music Week" concerts includes Madonna, Usher, Dave Matthews Band, Jay-Z and Eric Clapton, showcasing its musical diversity.

On Sept. 4, there is "Dave Chappelle's Block Party," about a free one-time block party in Brooklyn with artists Kanye West and Mos Def, among others.

Programming from MTVN networks from VH1 to CMT will also be used.

Palladia is carried on cable operators Comcast and Cox; by telco TV providers Verizon and AT&T; and by Dish and DirecTV, among other distributors.