 Final logo used from August 30, 2011 to January 5, 2015 | |
| Broadcast area | Middle East,North Africa,Horn of Africa |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dubai,United Arab Emirates |
| Programming | |
| Languages | English,Literary Arabic,Gulf Arabic |
| Picture format | 576i (4:3SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Networks EMEAA |
| Sister channels | Club MTV MTV 80s MTV 90s MTV 00s MTV Live Nickelodeon Nicktoons Nick Jr. Comedy Central Paramount Channel |
| History | |
| Launched | October 27, 2007 |
| Replaced | MTV Europe |
| Closed | January 5, 2015 |
| Replaced by | MTV Live |
| Former names | MTV Arabia |
| Links | |
| Website | www.mtvme.net |
MTV Middle East, formerlyMTV Arabia, was afree-to-air music television channel, and the Middle Eastern incarnation ofMTV. As an addition to the MTV network, it was a joint venture between MTV Networks International andArabian Television Network, a subsidiary of Arabian Broadcasting Network, and part ofArab Media Group, the largest media group in theUnited Arab Emirates. Launched as MTV Arabia, the channel was rebranded as MTV Middle East on August 30, 2011.
The channel began its initial broadcast on October 27, 2007,[1] and was launched on November 17, 2007.[2]As of 5 January 2015, MTV Middle East has stopped airing on Nilesat, and moved the whole localised channel to pay TV model onOSN under the nameMTV Live HD.
The first mention of the project came within the coverage of MTV's 25th anniversary in 2006, and was revealed by Faisal Abbas, the media editor of the London-based pan-Arab daily,Asharq Al-Awsat, which reported that MTV is "very interested in the Arab satellite channel market" and quoted Dean Possenniskie, the network's vice president and general manager for emerging markets, saying, "Hopefully [we] will be in the market in the next 24 months" but "it all depends on finding the right local partners".[3]
MTV Europe was previously available in the region through a special deal withShowtime Arabia. The Showtime Arabia channel provided some Arabic music videos and a locally produced program called "Mashaweer" that later got renamed "Salaam" whose hosts included regional DJ Madjam & main host Susie iliyan.
The channel aims to be a platform for the Arab youth, letting their opinions be a large factor in future programming. It will be likely that MTV Arabia will be pushinglocal R&B and hip hop music, which other Arab music stations likeRotana and Melody don't heavily feature says Patrick Samaha the General Manager of MTV Arabia.[4]
MTV Middle East also airs series from MTV such as:
Music fans witnessed history being made yesterday as the Middle East's newest channel, MTV Arabia, went on air.
