Music Television Arabia
Launched	October 27, 2007
Owned by	MTV Networks (Viacom)
Sister channel(s)	Nickelodeon Arabia, VH1 Europe
Website	MTVa.com
Availability
Satellite
Nilesat 7°W	11977 V
Arabsat 26°E	12169 V

MTV Arabia is a music television channel. It is the latest addition to the MTV network and is a joint venture between MTV Networks International and Arabian Television Network part of Arab Media Group, the largest media group in the United Arab Emirates.

The channel began its initial broadcast on October 27, 2007^[1], and was launched on November 17, 2007.^[2]

[edit] Beginnings

Screenshot of MTV Arabia during its initial broadcast, saying: "You Are MTV Arabia"

The first mention of the project came within the coverage of MTV's 25th anniversary in 2006, and was revealed by Faisal Abbas, the media editor of the London based pan-Arab daily, Asharq Al-Awsat, which reported that MTV is "very interested in the Arab satellite channel market" and quoted Dean Possenniskie, the network's vice president and general manager for emerging markets, saying, "Hopefully [we] will be in the market in the next 24 months" but "it all depends on finding the right local partners".^[3]

Akon, Ludacris, as well as Lebanese-Canadian Karl Wolf and the UAE's Desert Heat took part in the launching ceremonies of the channel in November 2007. Furthermore Karl Wolf single "Africa" became the first ever video clip broadcast on the new music station.

MTV was previously available in the region through a special deal with Showtime Arabia. The Showtime Arabia channel provided some Arabic music videos and a locally produced program called "Mashaweer".

[edit] Content

The channel aims to be a platform for the Arab youth, letting their opinions be a large factor in future programming. It will be likely that MTV Arabia will be pushing local R&B and hip hop music, which other Arab music stations like Rotana and Melody don't heavily feature.^[4]

MTV Arabia takes into account local cultural values in its content, even to the extent that Israel is excluded from the country list, when users try to register for an "MTVip" account.^[5]

[edit] MTV Arabia Shows

• Hip Hop Na
• Introducing
• Baqabeeq
• Banat
• Rewes
• Waslity
• Amour
• Cimena
• MTV Weyakom
• Na3na3

[edit] Shows taken from MTV

MTV Arabia also airs series from MTV such as:

• Celebrity Deathmatch
• Made
• Pimp My Ride
• My Own
• Life of Ryan
• Why Can't I Be You
• True Life
• Two-A-Days
• Cribs
• Teen Cribs
• Punk'd
• The Ashlee Simpson Show
• Making the Band
• Taquita & Kaui
• The Trip
• The Shop
• Wrestling Society X
• Adventures in Hollyhood
• Diary
• Total Request Live
• Rob & Big
• Room 401
• Hogan Knows Best
• Miss Seventeen
• My Super Sweet 16
• Headbangers Ball
• The Hills
• Boiling Points

[edit] Other channels

MTV Networks International and Arab Media Group also announced on October 16, 2007 that they were joining forces Nickelodeon to launch Nickelodeon Arabia. Through the deal, the companies claimed that Nickelodeon is the first global kids' media brand to create a free-to-air Arabic service across the region with local cultural values taken into account. VH1 Europe is also available in the Arab World

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• MTV Arabia Official Site (Default Site).

• Official Site (Arabic)
• Official Site (English)

• Interview with MTV's vice chairman Bill Roedy
• MTV, AMG to launch Nickelodeon Arabia