Danielle Lee Aderholdt, PopStar ([email protected])
Tue, 04 Aug 1998 09:28:28 PDT
Tuesday August 4, 10:21 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
MTV Is On Its Way to Russian Youth
MOSCOW/LONDON/NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 4, 1998--
24-Hour Customized Service to Launch September 25th
September 25th will become a historical date for Russian television and
youth culture with the launch of a customized MTV:
Music Television service at midnight. The 24-hour, Russian-language
network will reach more than 10 million households at
launch via VHF and UHF terrestrial frequencies.
MTV will officially debut the advertister-supported network with a
spectacular launch event at the Manezh building in Moscow
located near landmarks such as the Kremlin and Red Square. Built at the
end of the 19th century by a prominent Russia
architect, the Manezh building used to serve as a horse exercise ring as
well as an art gallery and trade exhibition site. The
event will feature live performances from local and international
artists with celebrities and key figures in the Russian and
international entertainment industries expected to attend. Additional
details about the launch event will be announced soon.
Initially, the network will broadcast in two major cities - Moscow (both
channel 38 UHF and TeleExpo) and St. Petersburg
(channel 51). Future plans include extending distribution to other
Russian territories.
A multi-year licensing agreement to develop and launch a customized MTV
channel in Russia was announced in April, 1998 by
Tom Freston, Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks and Boris Zosimov, Chairman,
BIZ Enterprises, Moscow and Bill Roedy,
President, MTV/VH1 International. This will mark the first time a
western television network has been customized for a
Russian audience.
Tailored to the tastes and lifestyles of 12 -- 34 year-old Russians, MTV
Russia will air locally-produced programming daily
from its Moscow production base. All music video playlists will be
determined in Moscow by locally-hired staff and will be
presented by Russian VJ's. The music video playlists will feature a
50/50 mixture of local artists such as Mumiy Trol, Splin, DJ
Groove as well as international artists such as U2, Bjork, Madonna and
Spice Girls.
MTV Russia will reflect the interests and concerns of its audience
through polls and demographic research highlighting
important issues with many pro-social programs. The schedule will also
feature MTV signature programs such as ``MTV
Unplugged'', the ``MTV Video Music Awards'' and the ``MTV Europe Music
Awards''. Additional details about
locally-produced programming will be announced in the coming weeks.
MTV is seen in one quarter of the world's television households in 85
territories. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc.
[AMEX:VIA - news], owns and operates five cable television programming
services in the U.S. -- MTV: Music Television,
M2, VH1, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite and TV Land -- all of which are
trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has
licensing agreements, joint ventures and syndication deals whereby its
programs can be seen worldwide.
MTV's international channels are MTV: Music Television, M2, MTV Asia
(Asia, India and Mandarin), MTV Australia, MTV
Brasil, MTV Europe (Germany, Italy, Northern Europe and UK), MTV Japan
and MTV Latin America (Northern and
Southern). The launch of MTV Russia further marks MTV's commitment to
offering programs and music video content
tailored specifically for regional markets worldwide.
Biz Enterprises is one of the largest media and entertainment companies
in Russia. Biz Enterprises owns and operates a music
television programming company BIZ-TV, radio station HIT-FM, numerous
magazines related to music and fashion, the BIZ
MEDIA advertising agency and BIZ ENTERTAINMENT, a concert and special
events promotion and production company.
Additionally, Biz Enterprises operates a Ukrainian music television
programming company, BIZ TV, and Belorussian music
television and radio production company BIZ RTV. BIZ TV's programming
and productions have been syndicated throughout
Russia and the CIS.
A VISUAL OF MTV RUSSIA CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE REUTERS & ASSOCIATED
PRESS PHOTO WIRE
SERVICES.
D.
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