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MTV aims to conquer Arab market
19/11/2007 16:02 - (SA)
Barbara Surk
Dubai - Music video channel MTV is using a combination of locally produced reality television shows and Arabised hip hop and R&B in an attempt break into the music channel-saturated Arab world.
A pre-taped show in Dubai opened the channel at midnight on Saturday and featured Grammy award-winning rapper and actor Ludacris, Senegalese-born soul superstar Akon and Lebanese-born rapper Karl Wolf, as well as a performance by the UAE-based underground hip hop band Desert Heat.
"This incredible vibe, original music and innovative programming is just a taste of what MTV Arabia is all about," said Bhavneet Singh, managing director and senior vice president for MTV Network International's emerging markets, in a statement.
MTV has more than 130 channels around the world.
Unlike its past forays into Europe and India over the previous 20 years, however, MTV is not looking at virgin territory as there has been an explosion of satellite channels airing Arab pop music videos in the past few years.
With over 30 channels featuring soulful crooners from the Gulf and scantily clad female singers from Lebanon and Syria, the predominantly young audiences of the Arab world have plenty of music to choose from.
Hip hop and R&B
MTV officials, however, maintain this is why their channel is focusing on hip hop and R&B, two music genres that are underserved by existing forums and believed to be popular throughout the region.
"We created this brand by listening to what our consumers want," said Abdullatif al-Sayegh, the CEO of Arab Media Group, the company behind the channel, in a statement.
The channel will also feature a number of reality shows specially tailored to the region, including Hip HopNa ("our hip hop") featuring two Arab hip hop stars - a show that may later be picked up by other MTV networks.
Other programmes include an Arabic-version of the popular Pimp My Ride show as well as Al Helm (The Dream) in which the MTV team transforms awkward teenagers into the successful model or rap star of their dreams.
- AP
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South Africa
