MTV India to launch in Middle East

US media giant Viacom is seeking to tap into the lucrative Indian expatriate market in the Middle East with the launch MTV India across the region this month, the Dubai-based firm handling advertising sales for the channel said.

The launch of MTV India is a joint venture between IndiaCast, Indian broadcaster TV18 and Viacom, the US broadcaster behind The Walt Disney Company, Time Warner and News Corporation.

MTV India is IndiaCast's second channel in the region after the September 2010 launch of Hindi entertainment outlet COLORS.

The regional advertising sales for MTV India will be handled by IndiaCast's Dubai office, it was confirmed in a statement on Thursday.

The channel will be available on Pehla branded packs across DTH, Cable, IPTV and SMATV in across most Middle East countries.

“MTV India is our second brand in the region and we intend to grow our presence here with more offerings from our extensive news and regional channel portfolio in the near future,” said Gaurav Gandhi, COO of IndiaCast.

MTV India is primarily aimed at young adults aged 15 to 34, with a collection of music programming, talk shows, fashion and style shows, Bollywood-style comedy shows and adventure shows.