'Music City' Brand may take a hit

Through its new EPIX multiplatform entertainment offering, Studio 3, which is an alliance of major movie studios, announced this week it's near a deal for distribution via Viacom's FiOS TV, which puts into place the last piece in a scenario that will see new programming launch this fall. Among the offerings is Lionsgate Television's "Tough Trade," which will portray the musical, hard-livin' and near-bankrupt Tucker family, naturally located in Nashville. A description of the program sounds as though, in some ways, it picks-up where Altman's "Nashville" left off. Follow the progress here. Good thing local Chamber and other execs are working at strengthening the Nashville Music City brand. In marketing terms, it's been a somewhat tougher year for "Music City": For instance, Atlantic columnist Richard Florida started in May by celebrating the Nashville music scene...but, then wrote of Dan Silver's questioning of the Nashville music scene's diversity... a point on which a NashvilleScene blogger gave some support. Not good for a city that hopes to attract the Creative Class. Lessons: Nashville's success breeds both scrutiny and competition...so, it's a good time to be thinking about both the Brand...and realities.