MTV World Set To Launch In US on DIRECTV
July 11 2005 - 5:50PM
PR Newswire (US)
MTV World Set To Launch In US on DIRECTV First MTV World Network
MTV Desi, Goes Live on Tuesday, July 12th at 9pm ET NEW YORK, July
11 /PRNewswire/ -- It was announced today by Christina Norman,
President, MTV that MTV Desi, the new network serving young people
with ties to the Indian sub-continent but living in the US, will
launch on DIRECTV on Tuesday, July 12th at 9pm ET. At 8pm ET, a
countdown clock exclusively developed for DirecTV viewers will
countdown the 60 minutes to launch. DIRECTV will add MTV Desi to
its HindiDirect(TM) programming package at no additional cost. MTV
Desi is the first MTV World channel to launch and MTV Networks
anticipates launching MTV Chi (for young Chinese-Americans) and MTV
K (for young Korean-Americans) later this year. "Young Americans
are increasingly diverse, multi-ethnic, and cross- cultural - they
demand entertainment that caters to their individual backgrounds,"
said Norman. "MTV Desi is the first of many MTV World networks that
will serve these growing niche youth audiences with customized
programming tailored specifically to their life experiences." "MTV
Desi will be the pop culture destination for Desis and shine a
light on the young South-Asian American experience," said Nusrat
Durrani, GM/SVP, MTV World. "The launch of this customized network
on a quality platform like DIRECTV will create, for the first time,
a window to the amazing creativity and passion of this culture for
the rest of America. MTV Desi will be a platform for artists from
these communities as well as those who want to reach it, and bring
fresh new influences into the American pop-culture mainstream.
Young South-Asians in the US will finally be able to see themselves
on television. For MTV this is a historic opportunity." "MTV has
been a valued and long-time programming partner and we are proud to
be able to debut this exciting new channel on DIRECTV," said Aaron
McNally, vice president, International, DIRECTV, Inc. "MTV Desi
will enable us to offer a unique blend of music and event
programming that will speak directly to the young South-Asian
audience. This is a terrific complement to our HindiDirect package
and will help us continue to grow our international customer base
in the U.S." The DIRECTV HindiDirect residential package, which
includes STAR PLUS, STAR ONE and STAR News, is available for $29.99
per month. MTV Desi will kick off its music centric programming
with a video from the iconoclastic Sikh sufi-rock star Rabbi
Shergill titled "Bulla Ki Jaana". Rabbi's video and song reflects
the South-Asian cross cultural existence, feelings of dual
identity, and shared experiences in a way that will hit home to the
MTV Desi audience. MTV Desi will then launch into the "Top 10 Desi
Countdown" the show where the audience votes for the most popular
videos. Other regular shows include a mix of original US
programming, shows from MTV India, and more. Following is a list of
programming on MTV Desi at launch: MTV Desi News The first
customized pop-culture news service for young South Asian-
Americans, brought to viewers every hour on the hour by the award
winning MTV News organization. MTV Desi will also feature special
news packages every week covering breaking talent, events and
issues relevant to the young Desi community. Live From... MTV Desi
hangs out with viewers in a new neighborhood, a live event, or
someone's living room, discovering new things and re-interpreting
others from a Desi point of view, while tripping on the coolest
videos. Maximum Party MTV Desi takes viewers deep into the party
scene around the country and abroad, minus the round-the-block
lines, surly bouncers, and what-to-wear anxiety. It's the finest
beats and inside access, MTV Desi style. Bollywood on Ice This is
not your mother's Bollywood show although she may want to watch it.
In this show MTV Desi goes deep and wide - introducing U.S.
audiences to the stunning diversity, exuberance and glamour of
Bollywood, seen through an MTV window. The Mirror This program will
reflect the talent and creativity of bi-cultural artists like
Raghav, Jay Sean and MIA as well as musical acts like Missy Elliot,
Truth Hurts and Timbaland, who are influenced by South Asian
culture. Unpredictable, colorful and on-the-edge, these artists now
have a platform to reach wider audiences through MTV Desi. Video
Khichri Video Khichri derives its name from a South Asian lentil
and rice dish called "khichri" which means "mixed up" and this show
is just that: an unpredictable and often volatile mix-up of videos
that allows the viewer to fully indulge in their most loved videos.
CY vs. CY Cy vs. Cy is an irreverent and hilarious show that
destroys all traces of boredom and tests the limits of human
endurance ... and tolerance. When Cyrus Broacha and Cyrus Sahukar,
MTV India's most popular VJs try to outdo each other, it's the
viewer who comes out on top. MTV Bakra "Bakra" is the name for goat
in Hindi, but it is also means sucker. Nobody's safe when Cyrus
Sahukar and his crew hit the streets with the Bakra camera. Heavy
Mental Its lunacy unlimited when the one-and-only Cyrus Broacha
explores the weird and wild side of life. Roadies A wildly
successful reality show created by MTV India, Roadies records the
tension, humor and heat generated when you put together four guys
and three girls on a 40-day motorcycle road trip. MTV Trippin'
Cameron Diaz and her crew of friends explore some of the most
exotic, environmentally unique places on the planet and seek to
discover ways to preserve them. Style Awards Music meets fashion in
the wildest, most off-beat and glamorous event featuring designers,
pop-stars and Bollywood glitterati Immies The MTV Immies are an
extravaganza like no other on the planet. The ultimate destination
for movie awards with only one thing to celebrate: Bollywood. This
is a breathtaking and star-studded annual event with all the sparks
and sexiness of music and movies. The channel will tap into the
South-Asian community to elicit stories from its young people and
intersperse these within programming. MTV Desi will kick off with
two on-air personalities and over the next few months will add a
roster of talent that represents the diversity of the South- Asian
diaspora: Niharika Desai Niharika is a film editor with a
background in photography, so being on the other side of the camera
as a VJ is a new experience for her. Though she never had any
aspirations to be a VJ, the prospect of being part of a channel
focused on South Asian Americans and their experience was
intriguing enough to drag her out of the dark edit room. Niharika's
world view and personality have been born out of an amalgamation of
the cultures associated with Poughkeepsie, Mumbai and Brooklyn.
Growing up she enjoyed Bharat Natyam lessons as much as kickball in
the park, and playing the tabla as much as playing the piano.
Niharika is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a
double major in Psychology and South Asia Regional Studies. She is
conversant in Marathi, can read and write the Devanagari script.
Tim Kash Of Sri Lankan heritage but born and raised in the UK, Tim
Kash hosts the daily MTV UK News show which airs to 56 territories
on MTV Europe. Tim has interviewed some of the worlds biggest stars
from the worlds of film, music and entertainment- memorable
interviews include Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Jay Z, Nas, 50 Cent, The
Foo Fighters, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Justin
Timberlake, NERD, U2, Robert De Niro, David Beckham, all of the
Spice Girls, and so on. Tim began his career at MTV at age 19,
becoming the youngest MTV VJ in history. Most recently, Tim
co-hosted the MTV US/International coverage of the recent Live 8
concert in London's Hyde Park that was beamed across the world. MTV
Desi, along with the soon to be launched MTV Chi and MTV K, will
focus on the needs of bi-cultural Americans with an affiliation to
a home country or culture that is not catered to by American
mainstream media. MTV's unique global network of locally programmed
channels offers a vast inventory of programming in native languages
which resonates and connects deeply with local audiences. Rather
than re-broadcasting existing international feeds, MTV is drawing
from its 108 channels around the world to create new channels
specifically for the U.S., adding local packaging, promos, VJs,
news, music, interviews live events and the best of its global
programming to tap into the rich transcultural nature of the target
audiences in a manner that uniquely reflects these vibrant cultures
and articulates the passions of its young people. Nusrat Durrani is
General Manager/SVP MTV World and is overseeing MTV Desi, MTV Chi,
MTV K, and future customized networks. Durrani joined MTV Networks
in 1996 and was part of the team that launched MTV's interactive
division. He was held several positions at MTV Networks during his
9 year tenure with the company including Director, Business
Development and Operations; Vice President, Strategic Partnerships;
and most recently Vice President, E-commerce for MTV, VH1, CMT and
Comedy Central. Prior to joining MTV Networks, Durrani worked in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates for Al Futtaim/Honda and before that he
worked in New Delhi, India for UPTRON, the leading electronics
player in India at the time. Durrani was born in Lucknow, India and
has his MBA from the University of Lucknow and his MA in
Communications from the New York Institute of Technology. Customers
who want to subscribe to the South Asian packages must first
subscribe to the DIRECTV(R) BASIC ($9.99/mo) or DIRECTV(R)
PREFERRED CHOICE(TM) ($29.99/mo) international base package, or any
TOTAL CHOICE(R) ($41.99/mo. or above) or DIRECTV PARA TODOS(R)
($29.99/mo. or above) base package. The DIRECTV BASIC package
offers up to 50 channels including local channels (where
available), music and shopping channels. In addition to those
channels offered in the BASIC package, the PREFERRED CHOICE package
includes a variety of relevant English-language channels such as
ESPN, CNN, The History Channel, Food Network, TNT, MTV and the Fox
Movie Channel. All international programming will be broadcast from
the 95-degree West Longitude (WL) orbital slot, requiring customers
to use a 36-inch dish capable of receiving programming from 95
degrees WL, as well as DIRECTV's primary orbital slot at 101
degrees WL. In some markets, customers who subscribe to a local
channels package will require a second smaller dish. To order or
inquire about residential pricing for these channels, consumers can
call (800) 378-4179. About MTV Networks: MTV Networks owns and
operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music
Television, MTV2, mtvU, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite/TV Land, VH1,
CMT: Country Music Television, and Spike TV, as well as The Digital
Suite from MTV Networks, a package of thirteen digital services,
all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also
operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and
syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.
About DIRECTV: DIRECTV is the nation's leading and fastest-growing
digital multichannel television service provider with more than
14.4 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are
registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. (NYSE: DTV). DIRECTV is a
world-leading provider of digital multichannel television
entertainment. DIRECTV is approximately 34 percent owned by News
Corporation. For more information visit http://www.directv.com/ .
DATASOURCE: MTV CONTACT: Marnie Black, +1-212-846-7004 or , or
Graham James, +1-212-846-8911 or , both of MTV; or Jade Ekstedt,
DIRECTV PR Manager, +1-310-964-3429 or Web site:
http://www.mtv.com/ http://www.directv.com/
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