MTV Arabia

While locally produced music video channels already dominate the market for young Arabs in the Middle East, MTV is looking to steal the show with a hip-hop and reality based network for the region. MTV Arabia, launched by MTV in Dubai, United Arab Emirates over the weekend, will feature 60 percent international music and 40 percent Arab music; MTV hopes to take advantage of demographics in the Arab world, where about two-thirds of the population is under 30 years old.

While locally produced music video channels already dominate the market for young Arabs in the Middle East, MTV is looking to steal the show with a hip-hop and reality based network for the region. MTV Arabia, launched by MTV in Dubai, United Arab Emirates over the weekend, will feature 60 percent international music and 40 percent Arab music; MTV hopes to take advantage of demographics in the Arab world, where about two-thirds of the population is under 30 years old.

In addition, the channel will air adaptations of popular non-music MTV shows, but they will be tailored to the region’s conservative standards. With culturally sensitive editors going through the programming, co-owners Arab Media Group and Viacom Inc.’s MTV Networks International aim to bring “respectful programming” to the homes of their audience. Non-music programming that will air on the new channel includes adaptations of hits like Pimp My Ride and reality shows like Hip-HopNa, featuring two Arab hip-hop stars.

The station launched last Saturday, airing a pre-taped show featuring American rapper Ludacris, Senegalese soul singer Akon, Lebanese-born rapper Karl Wolf and United Arab Emirates underground hip-hop band “Desert Heat.”