First MTV World Network MTV Desi, Goes Live on Tuesday, July 12th at 9pm ET
New Network to Super-Serve South Asian Audience in US
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 .
SOURCE MTV
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Related links:
http://www.mtv.com
http://www.directv.com
CONTACT:
Marnie Black, +1-212-846-7004 or
Marnie.black@mtvstaff.com, or Graham James, +1-212-846-8911 or
graham.james@mtvstaff.com, both of MTV; or Jade Ekstedt, DIRECTV
PR Manager, +1-310-964-3429 or JLEkstedt@directv.com
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