• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, September 12, 2007

My Damn Channel, the digital production studio just launched by former MTV and CBS Radio executive Rob Barnett, has reached a content partnership with MySpace.

My Damn Channel is getting its own branded channel on MySpace and MySpaceTV, featuring original work from comedians like Andy Milonakis and Harry Shearer, filmmaker David Wain and music producer Don Was.

"Our MySpace partnership adds broader exposure and more revenue opportunities for our artists," said Rob Barnett, who now serves as president and CEO of My Damn Channel. "We're signing more talent and launching new original channels including Hot Mental Freedom, an interactive platform for user-generated content, and the Andy Milonakis channel, giving viewers a warped vacation from reality."

Less than a month old, Barnett's brainchild already has a distribution deal with YouTube, and backing from Okapi Venture Capital.

This summer, MySpace launched MySpaceTV as a new and improved video service to better compete against YouTube and other video competitors. Unlike Google's YouTube, however, MySpace TV focuses on longer-form and professionally produced content, which advertisers far prefer to unedited consumer-generated content bits.

Digital studios are emerging left and right to fill the Web's huge demand for original video. Ex-Disney head Michael Eisner arguably started the trend with his Vuguru production firm, which officially launched in March and financed the Web series "Prom Queen."

With backing from Silicon Valley VC giant Sequoia Capital, FunnyOrDie.com was started this year by the comic actor Will Ferrell and his production partner, Adam McKay.

Earlier this year, United Talent Agency and Spot Runner--a digital agency partly owned by WPP Group--opened 60Frames Entertainment, a studio for digital entertainment from established actors and directors.

Hollywood producer Albie Hecht has been busy building his digital production studio Worldwide Biggies, and last month secured $9 million in funding from top investors including NBC Universal, which also agreed to a first-look distribution deal.

Also on the rise is BermanBraun, the six-month-old venture from former Paramount Pictures president Gail Berman and former Yahoo Media Group head Lloyd Braun. BermanBraun, which already boasts a multi-platform strategic alliance with NBC Universal Television, recently signed an agreement giving Pepsi a first look to support and sponsor original entertainment content that BermanBraun develops for online platforms.