Ongoing Mideast turmoil or no, Viacom-owned MTV is wheeling and dealing in perhaps the most conservative culture on the planet to create an MTV version for the lucrative youth audience. Just recently, the channel that has given the world shows like ‘Road Rules’ and ‘Pimp My Ride,’ inked a deal with Dubai-based start-up Arabian Television Network to launch MTV Arabiya.
Heavy tabloid readers may recognize Dubai as one of Michael Jackson’s favorite overseas homes. However, in addition to hosting the itinerant King of Pop, Dubai is also a major business hub in the Mideast, and is world famous for its massive real estate projects like the heavenly aesthetic Palm Islands.
As reported in Variety, MTV’s new venture will show an assortment of music videos, MTV programming such as that seen in the States, as well as locally produced shows. Naturally, given the more restrained local sensibilities, MTV will likely have to censor some of its videos that otherwise wouldn’t raise a pierced teenage eyebrow here in America. Says Abdullatif Al Sayegh, who owns ATN and its parent, Arabic Broadcasting Network, "Our partnership with MTV is a significant step in our long-term strategic vision to offer an international channel dedicated to Arab music and culture."
Already with channels translated into 28 languages across the world, MTV has long had designs to land a deal in Middle East given the desirable demographics--more than half the population is under age 25. Saudi Arabia has also represented a huge amount of TV advertising revenue for the music station.
But aside from the monetary considerations, it is MTV’s zest for the zeitgeist (or whatever “it” is that makes teens go pop these days) that continually attracts new audiences and helps expand it throughout the globe. Says MTV acting general manager for emerging markets Bhavneet Singh, MTV has become, "part of the fabric of youth culture ... by respecting audience diversity and different cultures."
