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MTV Networks International Rolls-Out MTV World Stage & MTV Push, Two New Music Initiatives to Drive World Music

Posted on: Monday, 9 February 2009, 03:30 CST

COLDPLAY KICKS OFF 'MTV WORLD STAGE' WITH LIVE PERFORMANCE FROM TOKYO

Premieres Friday 27 February 2009

METRO STATION and WHITE LIES GET THE FIRST 'MTV PUSH'

NEW YORK and LONDON, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks International (MTVNI), owned by Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the launch of MTV World Stage and MTV Push, two new music initiatives aimed at demonstrating MTV's unique international scale and connecting fans to the greatest and latest acts on the world music scene. MTV World Stage is a free pass to the most exclusive gigs and unique concert locations from around the world. Coldplay live in Tokyo from the Saitama Super Arena will be the first performance captured for MTV World Stage and will air 27 February on 62 MTV channels around the world. The series will showcase different musical performances every Friday night across the international network.

(LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090209/NY68057-a )

(LOGO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090209/NY68057-b )

In addition, starting in March 2009, MTV Push will deliver international music fans a massive "push" behind breakthrough and emerging acts, with unique bespoke multi-platform content using MTV's on-air and digital assets, which number more than 140 windows. Metro Station and White Lies will be the first featured artists.

"The scale of MTV's international network is unmatched and makes us uniquely positioned to bring our audience some of their favorite artists and MTV World Stage and MTV Push are no exception," noted Bruce Gillmer, Senior Vice President of Talent & Music for MTVNI. "As a premiere producer of live concert events, only MTV can take full advantage of the networks' vast scale and creative resources to deliver audiences fresh musical content across any platform they are viewing."

MTV World Stage proves that all-the-world IS a stage. The series will be taped in high definition and will feature dozens of multi-genre talent with global relevance. Whether in Athens, Rome, London, Buenos Aires, Beijing or Tokyo, every Friday night is "live music night" on MTV as fans in 162 countries are transported to front row seats somewhere in the world to experience their favorite recording artists.

Upcoming MTV World Stage concerts will feature a "girls' night in" with a double bill from the Pussycat Dolls and Katy Perry (6th March), Slipknot (13th March), Oasis (20th March), Franz Ferdinand (27th March), Duffy (29th May) and Kaiser Chiefs (5th June).

MTV is widely recognized as one of the first places young people turn to for new music. From Shakira to Tokio Hotel and Duffy, MTV's international channels have fostered some of today's best known and hottest acts. Beginning in March, MTV Push follows in this long tradition, super-charged by the networks' vast multi-platform capacity. MTV Push is a promotional vehicle dedicated to bringing fans the latest talent to break-though and break-out utilizing straight video play and specially produced content for on-air, web and mobile.

"Music remains one of the fundamental pillars of our brand and our business" commented Antonio Campo Dall'Orto, Executive Vice President of Music Brands for MTVNI. "MTV World Stage and MTV Push are two of many exciting new initiatives from MTVNI designed to leverage our unique knowledge and strength across the global network. These projects are part of a process to broaden our vision and further enhance the brand experience."

Formed in London in 1998, Coldplay (www.coldplay.com) has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and is one of the most famous rock bands around. Their debut album, Parachutes (with hit single, Yellow) in 2000 went multi-platinum in several countries and has since been followed by award winning albums, A Rush of Blood to the Head in 2002 and X&Y in 2005. The band's fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends was produced by Brian Eno.

The first two bands that are being featured on MTV Push are Metro Station (www.metrostationmusic.com) and White Lies (www.whitelies.com)

Metro Station's Mason Musso, Trace Cyrus, Blake Healy and Anthony Improgo began performing together in Los Angeles in 2006. The band's self-titled debut album was released in September, 2007 (Columbia/Red Ink Records) and their first pop single, "Shake It," is already a multi-platinum success in the U.S. Metro Station is currently on tour in Europe.

White Lies are a rock band from West London, whose elegant cinematic soundscapes have brought them widespread acclaim in the UK and beyond, topping numerous ones to watch polls across the globe. Their first album To Lose My Life was released in January 2009, debuting at No 1 on the UK Album Chart. They have released three singles, "Unfinished Business", "Death" and "To Lose My Life", and they continue to tour in Europe, the US and Japan throughout the first half of 2009.

About MTV Networks International:

MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Flux, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One, Neopets, GameTrailers, Shockwave, Addicting Games, Atom Films and Xfire. MTV Networks' brands are seen globally in 578 million households, in 162 countries and 33 languages via 166 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 350 digital media properties. 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 Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE MTV Networks International

Source: PR Newswire

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