MTV

New York, NY – June 22, 2006 – MTV World today announced the launch of its third network, MTV K, the first channel dedicated to young Korean-Americans set to premiere on air and online on June 27 at 8 pm ET/PT. Beginning today, MTV K asked fans worldwide to log on to mtvk.com and help determine the channel’s historic debut by voting for the channel’s kick-off video.

A 24-hour, music-centered channel featuring the hottest K-pop, hip hop and punk, MTV K will feature a mix of original programming, live events and some of the best programming from its international affiliates. Presented in English by bi-lingual, U.S. based VJs and other guest hosts, K will also showcase the vast influence of Korean culture beyond just the music: spotlighting Korean movies, drama and fashion.

MTV K will be available from DIRECTV in the KoreanDirectâ„¢ package, part of WorldDirectâ„¢ service and will also be available on Verizon FiOS TV in the near future.

“We are always trying to expand our content to better serve our incredibly diverse audience,” said Christina Norman, President of MTV. “MTV World has already seen great success with the addition of MTV Desi and MTV Chi, and with the Korean pop phenomenon spreading wildly across Asia, it was only a matter of time before we created a platform for this increasingly popular and influential culture within the U.S.”

“Korean pop culture is exploding worldwide and is the next big influence in music,” said Nusrat Durrani, General Manager and Senior Vice President, MTV World. “MTV K’s mission is to provide millions of Korean-Americans with a unique connection to an exciting and evolving new culture that draws from both Korean and American influences.”

MTV News correspondent SuChin Pak will kick off the inaugural and historic telecast, unveiling the first music video to be played on the channel, and new MTV K personality Eunju Yang will host the channel’s first countdown show. MTV Chi’s launch attracted over 500,000 votes for the channel’s first video, Jin’s “Learn Chinese”, joining the ranks of The Buggles (MTV US in 1981) and the Dire Straits (MTV Europe in 1987).

The list of original programming includes a weekly countdown show, Top 10 Kountdown; On LoKation, introducing the newest hotspots, exciting events, clubs, and restaurants heavily populated by young Korean-American crowds, and Hip Hop Seoul, which exposes K’s viewers to the best Korean hip hop music videos from old school rappers to new emerging artists. Hourly news program MTV News on K will be the first news service catering to young Korean-Americans with an on-the-hour update of the latest happenings in the Korean-American community at large.

MTV K will be the third channel launched by MTV World this year, each designed to super-serve ethnic populations in the United States. MTV Desi, serving audiences with roots in the Indian sub-continent launched July 12, 2005, and MTV Chi, serving bi-cultural Chinese-Americans, launched December 6, 2005.

DIRECTV’s KoreanDirect package, which is currently available to DIRECTV customers nationwide for $26.99 per month, was launched in April of this year, MTV K will be added to the package at no additional charge.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 120 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services – MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 100 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.