MUMBAI: MTV Arabia has launched in the Middle East, reaching out to 36 million households.
MTV Arabia will screen Arab music videos, talent shows and American programs such as Pimp My Ride and Punk`d, but adapted for Arab audiences.
All the MTV Arabia shows will be hosted by local VJs. The station aims to address local issues and tap into local talent. MTV Arabia`s flagship show Hip HopNa (Our Hip Hop), features Saudi rapper Qusai Khidr, who will audition the best Mideast hip-hop acts for a chance at global fame.
MTV is trying to grab an audience that already has access to more than 50 music channels, but the effort could reap huge results as two-thirds of the Arab world is younger than 30 with huge interest in Western pop culture.
Parent company Viacom is watching the channel`s growth closely as it hatches plans to present an Arab version of its children`s channel Nickelodeon.