Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

International youth television giant MTV Networks plan to launch a 24 hour MTV New Zealand channel from the middle of August. The Nickelodeon channel will be relaunched at the same time, customised specifically for New Zealand audiences.

The new MTV channel will be fully owned and operated by MTV Networks Asia Pacific, and will be carried on Sky Television's Digital satellite service (Channel 35).

MTV say the channel will feature local programming and presenters, while drawing on the wide range of programming already produced by their US and European channels.

It's not the first time the MTV brand has been seen in New Zealand... State TV operated an MTV New Zealand service between June 1997 to June 1998, using a feed of MTV-UK as their basis.

It was operated (badly) by TVNZ as a free to air UHF channel in the main centres, using the frequencies of the axed Horizon Pacific Television regional network. MTV-NZ was launched in reaction to CanWest's new youth-oriented channel at the time, TV4.

In more recent times, CanWest's C4 Music Television (which replaced TV4) has had a partnership arrangement with MTV, playing popular signature shows like Jackass and Pimp My Ride in a branded MTV-30 programming block. It's understood that deal will remain in the place when MTV NZ launches (at least for the time being).

MTV plan to work closely with New Zealand record labels to promote local acts, and hope to tap into the youth advertising market that C4 have successfully targetted. Warner Music, Sony BMG and Dawn Raid Entertainment have already expressed support for the new music and entertainment channel.

* Scoop: 24-Hour Localised Mtv And Nickelodeon in NZ
* NBR: MTV to launch in New Zealand