MTV Programs to The Millennial Generation With Nine New Shows and Five Returning Series

MTV Programs to The Millennial Generation With Nine New Shows and Five Returning Series

DIVERSE SLATE SPANS MANY GENRES INCLUDING LIVE AFTERNOONS, SPORTS, REALITY, FASHION, COMEDY AND ANIMATION

NEW PROGRAMMING DIRECTION DRIVES FOUR NEW HIT SHOWS IN Q1

MTV: NUMBER ONE RATED FULL-DAY AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORK FOR P12-24

THE HILLS RETURNS THIS FALL WITH MORE EPISODES

NEW YORK, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- With more top 10 shows for P12-34 than any other network (four out of ten), MTV has announced a diverse new programming slate including nine new shows and five returning series. Genres include reality, fashion, sports, comedy, animation and a live afternoon show that embraces the active habits of the social networking generation. The network's 2009 programming slate continues to reflect a directional shift geared toward the millennial generation, with shows that are aspirational, escapist and optimistic.

"There's a palpable generational shift in attitudes that's informing a new point of view as we develop content and the brand. The change in our audience is reflected in new formats, tonal voices and storytelling cadence," said Tony DiSanto, head of programming for MTV. "Millennials have a great sense of optimism and are filled with a 'can do' spirit that's infused into all areas of their lives. Just as we've shifted with our audience in the past, we're now embracing a new brand filter ... one that inspires us to break boundaries, bust our mold, and reinvent."

"Change is in MTV's DNA and this generation is demanding their own MTV," said Stephen Friedman, General Manager, MTV. "Because they expect more of themselves -- they also expect more of us. Whether it's escapism, aspirational reality or comedy, they've demanded that we raise the bar. That's what Tony and his team have done with our new slate of programming."

   --  MTV has been the number one rated full day ad-supported cable network       P12-24 for 16 straight years.  The network's ratings were up in first       quarter, having launched four new hits including Nitro Circus, Rob       Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, Daddy's Girls and The City.  The network was       #1 in prime time (8-11pm) across cable on Wednesday and Thursday       nights for P12-34 during the runs of America's Best Dance Crew and       Real World.  MTV's Sunday night block of programming geared toward       young men, tripled its ratings in its time period (9-11PM).  During       its first season, Nitro Circus was #1 in its 10-10:30PM time period       among M12-24, even outperforming broadcast.     MTV SERIES GREENLIGHTS:     --  THE ALEXA CHUNG SHOW [working title]: A one-hour, daily, live       entertainment show that our viewers help to create, taking viewer       interaction to a new level, making them the stars of the program.       Hosted by smart and witty British television personality and model       Alexa Chung, the program will include celebrity guests, musical       performances, and the best of the web. The Alexa Chung Show brings       MTV's always-on audience together with Twitter's instantaneous       feedback ability. In keeping with the real-time nature of the show,       Twitter will enable the audience to interact with Alexa, celebrity       talent, their own friends and the rest of the pop culture loving world       on the spot, and in the show. Whether Alexa's audience is at home, on       the move or on the set, Twitter and MTV will capture their experiences       and bring them right into the show. Additionally, the RockYou Live       video sharing application will let users submit their favorite viral       videos and videos they shoot themselves to the show. Fans of The Alexa       Chung Show will be able to constantly communicate with the show even       when it's not on air. Alexa's network of friends are always doing       things that matter and now with Twitter and RockYou they'll be able to       constantly keep in touch. Alexa is a brand new face to the U.S.       audience -- and a new voice for MTV.  Executive Producers: Tim Healy,       Sebastian Scott. Executive Producers: Howard T. Owens and Mark Koops       (Reveille).     --  THE BURIED LIFE:   The real life adventure of four young men on an       epic quest to prove that anyone can do anything.  With cameras       rolling, Duncan, Ben, Jonnie and Dave set out with a list of 100       dreams:  everything from kissing Rachel McAdams to Getting in the       Guinness Book of World Records. But they also made a promise to       themselves ... for every goal they achieve on their list, they help a       stranger do something on theirs. This series explores the exciting       wonders of human potential and the exhilaration of going after one's       dreams -- those dreams too often buried by everyday life. It's all in       the question: "What do you want to do before you die?" Executive       Producers: Howard T. Owens (Reveille); Mark Koops (Reveille); Adam       Paul. Co-Executive Producers: Noah Oppenheim (Reveille), Jared Tobman       (Reveille), Dave Lingwood, Ben Nemtin, Duncan Penn, Jonnie Penn.       Executive Consultant: Jan Coleman.     --  DJ AND THE FRO:   MTV brings animation back to the network with DJ and       the Fro.  It's Beavis and Butthead for the Millennial generation.  DJ       and the Fro work for a big corporation -- though they aren't sure       exactly what the company does.  Aimed at the generation that eats,       sleeps and breathes technology -- DJ and the Fro combines animation       and the best of the web.  The internet clips are arguably the stars of       the show -- the funniest, weirdest videos on the internet, made       funnier and weirder by the observations of DJ and the Fro.  Exec       Producers: Dave Jeser (Drawn Together) and Matt Silverstein (Drawn       Together).     --  THE STYLIST [working title]:   This new reality series follows a       diverse group of struggling junior assistants as they toil for three       glamorous, highly successful celebrity stylists.  The series follows       the young junior assistants on the job -- music videos, movie       premieres, photo shoots -- and in their personal lives as they find       romance, plot against each other, and try to make it big in a       cut-throat industry.  At the end of each season, one junior assistant       will be signed to a stylist contract with the Margaret Maldonado       agency.  The Stylist turns the reality competition format upside-down,       with no staged challenges or eliminations.  The jobs are real, the       stakes are real and for these young people, the prospect of success or       failure is very real.  Organic performance evaluations will always       allow the viewer a sense of who's ahead and who's in trouble.  And       because the junior assistants are always faced with the knowledge that       only one of them will get signed, they are always looking into the       faces of their competition. Executive Producers:  Jon Murray and Jeff       Jenkins (Bunim-Murray). Co-Executive Producers:  Margaret Maldonado       (Margaret Maldonado Agency) Russell Jay (Bunim Murray), Gil Goldshein       (Bunim-Murray).     --  ULTIMATE PARKOUR CHALLENGE:  MTV brings the world's fastest growing       extreme sport to American audiences for the first time with the       Ultimate Parkour Challenge.  The essence of Parkour is a sport with       virtually no limits.  Athletes run as efficiently as possible from       point "A" to point "B" but unlike a track and field race, Parkour is       performed on any and every environment.  Walls, cars, stairs,       railings, rooftops and ten-foot gaps between five-story buildings,       force runners to leap, roll, climb, vault and fly, using the obstacles       in their way to increase speed.  MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge       captures the essence of the Parkour movement with a new special event       sports competition that will thrill audiences as eight of the World's       best Parkour athletes defy gravity, showcasing seemingly superhuman       skills in an easy to understand competitive format. Three rounds of       competition will ultimately crown one winner with $10,000 and title of       the Ultimate Parkour Champion.  The show is produced in association       with the WFPF, World Freerunning & Parkour Federation.  Executive       Producers: Bob Kusbit & Francis Lyons, One Louder Productions.       Executive Producers: Kemp Curley, Transition Productions. Co-Executive       Producers: Victor Bevine & David Thompson.     --  PRANKED:  A weekly 30 minute show of the very best pranks pulled       straight off the internet.  The show taps into the era of technology       democratizing the media process.  These homemade pranks are       engineered, executed and filmed by kids themselves.  No producers; no       professional editors, no camera men -- just the thin line of       technology between the pranksters, their victims and the audience.        When it comes to silly humor -- MTV curates the best of the best.        Executive Producer: Cheri Brownlee, Cheri Sundae Productions.     --  POPZILLA:  Nobody is safe from Popzilla.  A rapid-fire half hour       animated sketch show that relentlessly skewers the excesses of pop       culture.   With a unique creative voice and style, the show uses       animation that allows for quick turnaround -- Popzilla is built to       take on the headlines of the day.  With a quick pace, and many       sketches under a minute, Popzilla is made to live on-air, online and       on mobile platforms.  Executive Producers:  Dave Thomas (SCTV), Tim       Hedrick, Jared Miller, R.J. Fried, Kevin Pedersen.  Animated by       Animax.     --  GONE TOO FAR: A series of one hour episodes, each with a unique       protagonist who has a serious addiction and needs help. These young       adults, aged 18-25, are not recreational users or occasional binge       drinkers. The addict is in a downward spiral, his family in crisis and       desperate to get their loved one the help they need. The show is       hosted by DJ AM, one of the most sought-after and highly paid DJs in       the world, who is uniquely qualified to help young addicts, having       formerly suffered from multiple addictions, weight problems and       depression. Working with a local addition expert, AM leads an       intervention with the addict's family and friends, and then follows       the patient through rehab and back into society.  Executive Producers:       Michael Hirschorn and Stella Bulochnikov Stolper, ISH Entertainment;       Cheryl Sirulnick, Gigantic; Paul Rosenberg.  Co-Executive Producer       Larry Vavra.     --  DISASTER DATE:  It's comedy in the afternoons, with a hidden camera       show that guarantees laughs as unsuspecting daters get set up on       disastrous blind dates by their friends.  The friend (our accomplice)       watches from the control room as our team of improv actors put the       gullible dater through the worst date ever.  Our dater unknowingly       rings up cold hard cash for every minute they stay on the date.  After       going on a disaster date, Friday nights alone never looked so good!        Executive Producer: Sally Anne Salsano, 495 Prods.     MTV RETURNING SERIES     --  The Hills:  MTV viewers will find out life in Los Angeles only gets       more complicated as friendships, relationships and loyalties are       tested like never before as "The Hills" returns this fall with more       episodes of season five. Lauren has moved on, but Heidi, Audrina,       Spencer, Brody, Stephanie, Lo and Justin Bobby will be back as the       drama continues with fresh faces, new stories and shocking surprises.       Spencer and Heidi will be newlyweds so the stakes are higher than ever       before for the two to make things work.     --  Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory: Somewhere between Diddy and Willie Wonka       lies Rob Dyrdek, a capable entrepreneur with a comically offbeat way       of realizing his own fantasy world. Rob commands operations in a       massive, 25,000-square-foot industrial -- and fully skate-able --       warehouse and office complex near downtown Los Angeles. This is the       home of Dyrdek Enterprises, the nerve center and hatching ground for       all of Rob's crazy schemes, business plans and uniquely ridiculous       ideas. Anything from zip-lines and giant skateboards, to trampolines       and indoor blobbing can be achieved in Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.     --  Nitro Circus: Centered  around the world's greatest freestyle       motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of top action sport       athlete buddies,  the show follows Travis and the Nitro Circus Crew as       they travel around the world setting up outrageous stunts and pushing       the human body to the limit, constantly looking to innovate the world       of action sports. Whether they're base jumping, sky diving, riding,       driving or relaxing, this group of tight-knit, highly-skilled,       adrenaline-fueled friends always take the action "to eleven" with the       hammer down.     --  Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew: "America's Best       Dance Crew""America's Best Dance Crew" is hosted by Mario Lopez and       shot on location in Los Angeles as dance crews of five to seven       members perform their hottest moves for dance supremacy and a $100,000       cash prize.  Every performance-themed episode gives insight into the       crews' emotion, spirit and inspiration as they step up to the       challenge and showcase their innovative choreography and skills.        Viewers from around the country choose their favorite crews via text       messaging, phone and online voting       (http://dancecrew.mtv.comhttp//dancecrew.mtv.com).  One crew will be       eliminated each week, ultimately revealing the nation's best dance       crew.     --  Run's House MTV's first family of hip-hop is coming back for Season       Six. It's time to step inside Run's House as patriarch Rev Run and the       rest of the Simmons clan once again open their doors -- and hearts --       for our cameras. And, once again, no matter how high the highs or low       the lows, they remain grounded by their strong faith and tight family       bond.    About MTV Network:  

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 27 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24. Online, MTV.com averaged 8.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2009 -- up +6% from Q4/2008 and up +6% year-over-year. Total video streams for the first quarter of 2009 increased 21% over the same time period last year. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE: VIA.B) , one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in ... www.mtvpress.comwww.mtvpress.com.

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Source: MTV

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Profile: International Entertainment