Africa Gets Its MTV Today With the Launch of MTV Base
February 22 2005 - 1:01PM
PR Newswire (US)
Africa Gets Its MTV Today With the Launch of MTV Base Pan-African
Channel Puts African Artists in the Spotlight JOHANNESBURG, LONDON
and NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks, a division of
Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIANYSE:andNYSE:VIA.B), will today launch MTV
base, MTV's first pan-African music television channel. MTV base
goes live at 20:00 hrs CAT (Central African Time)/18:00 hrs GMT,
beaming to a launch audience of 1.3 million households in
sub-Saharan Africa with a specially-composed rap from US hip-hop
artist, Xzibit. MTV base, the company's 100th channel worldwide,
will be marked by a formal switch-on ceremony in Johannesburg,
South Africa attended by Bill Roedy, President, MTV Networks
International, Alex Okosi, General Manager, MTV Networks Africa,
and Nolo Letele, CEO, MultiChoice Africa, in the presence of
African artists, Lebo Mathosa, 2 FACE and Zamajobe. "MTV base as
the company's 100th channel is the most anticipated launch in our
history -- it's our first dedicated African service and takes MTV's
global footprint to every region of the world," commented Roedy.
"MTV base celebrates the diversity of vibrant music culture across
Africa, while offering rich, creative inspiration for MTV's global
network." Said MultiChoice Africa CEO Nolo Letele: "MultiChoice
Africa has a long standing relationship with MTV Networks Europe
and we are proud of our role in helping to build the MTV brand
across Africa. In fact, MTV base will complement our existing
offering and provide African youth with made-to-order, high quality
and relevant African music programming. We welcome another quality
MTV channel onboard." MTV base is uniquely crafted and programmed
to appeal to young Africans aged 15-34, satisfying their immense
appetite for high quality contemporary music content that
transcends national borders. The 24-hour music channel will
broadcast 'urban' music genres and artists from across the whole
African continent, as well as artists from around the world, in a
unique editorial mix aimed at providing equal exposure for
grassroots African and international music talent. Commented Alex
Okosi: "MTV base is designed to celebrate African artists and
music, and the music that the young people of Africa love. In
keeping with the pan-African remit of the channel, the music policy
for MTV base will showcase the creativity and diversity of
contemporary music in Africa, giving an international platform to
African genres such as Kwaito, Hip-Life, Mbalax and Zouk and
putting African artists in the spotlight alongside their
international peers." While key longform programming strands on MTV
base such as African music documentary series, MTV base Spotlight,
will be broadcast in English, the channel aims to play contemporary
music videos from all over Africa, including videos broadcast in
Swahili, English, French and Portuguese. The first African artist
to have their music video featured on the channel, is Nigerian
artist 2 FACE, whose iconic "African Queen" will set the standard
for other artists to follow. As part of MTV Networks' global
commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, MTV base will feature programming
from the award-winning, worldwide Staying Alive initiative -
including documentaries highlighting stories of young people
affected by the epidemic from South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Cote
d'Ivoire. Today, MTV base will debut the Save the Humans campaign,
a series of four public service announcements (PSAs) airing
globally on MTV channels that features a cast of animal characters
that have gathered to discuss the global threat of HIV/AIDS -
including a South African rhino. In the coming months, MTV base
will feature locally produced PSAs and long-form programming as
part of the Staying Alive initiative. "Young Africans are leading
activists in the fight against the pandemic," continued Roedy, who
is also a UNAIDS Ambassador. "MTV base's HIV/AIDS programming will
bring to life the tenacity and passion of African youth, who
continue to be a guiding force in the global fight against
HIV/AIDS." MTV Networks (MTVN) is the first global media company to
achieve the 100- channel milestone, having pioneered the business
strategy of having a local approach to building a global business.
Africa is MTVN's final frontier, giving the company locally
customized channels in every region of the world. MTV Networks'
multi-media brands include MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, TV Land, Nick at
Nite, MTV2, CMT, Spike, Comedy Central, Paramount Comedy Channel,
TMF (The Music Factory), Game One, VIVA, and The Box (Holland). MTV
base is distributed via an Africa-wide network of cable, satellite
and MMDS (Multichannel, Multipoint Distribution System)
distribution systems. The channel will also aim to reach a broader
mass African audience via branded programming blocks on third party
terrestrial broadcasters across Africa. At launch, MTV base will
reach approximately 1.3million households in 48 countries in
sub-Saharan Africa via multi-channel operators DStv, Trend TV, CTL
and FSTV. MTV base is a 24-hour pan-African music television
channel targeting mass African youth in sub-Saharan Africa. MTV
base (Africa) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MTV Networks Europe,
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc. MTV Networks
International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands
MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory),
Paramount Comedy and Game One seen in 411.7 million households in
164 countries and 18 languages via 100 locally programmed and
operated TV channels and 90 Web sites. The company's diverse
holdings also include interests in television syndication, digital
media, publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing
& merchandising and two feature film divisions, MTV Films and
Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom International
Inc. (NYSE:VIANYSE:VIA.B). DATASOURCE: MTV Networks CONTACT:
AnneMarie Kane, MTV Networks International, In Johannesburg until
24 February, In Nairobi from 24 February until 1 March, Mobile:
+1-917-224-1317, , or Glenna Patton, MTV Networks International,
+44-20-7478-5274, Mobile +44-7768-610-486, ; or Mark Levine, MTV
Networks International, +1-212-846-7241, Web site:
http://www.mtv.com/
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