MTVNI Focuses on Reality Series in Asia Pacific

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE/SYDNEY: MTV Networks International (MTVNI) has commissioned two original reality-based shows in the Asia Pacific, one in Australia and another in Japan.

For MTV Australia, Freshwater Blue follows 12 young adults from Sydney’s northern beaches during their life-changing summer after high school. The show features topics such as relationships, friendships, peer pressure, drinking and sex. Freshwater Blue will debut on MTV Australia and MTV New Zealand on December 2, with a further launching on MTV channels in the U.K. in 2011.

Shibuhara Girls is a new original for MTV Japan. The 12×30-minute series spotlights four young adults who are in the worlds of fashion and entertainment, set within Tokyo’s epicenters for youth culture: Shibuya and Harajuku. The initial launch for the show will be on MTV Japan in January, with regional broadcasts planned for Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and other Asian markets in early 2011.

“MTV has been constantly innovating and evolving the world of reality programming, creating dynamic and engaging content that connects with young viewers across all entertainment screens,” said Robert Bakish, the president of MTV Networks International. “Our investment in Freshwater Blue and Shibuhara Girls marks important milestones for us, demonstrating how our localization strategy can expand even further to connect and reflect young audiences throughout Asia, the Pacific and the rest of the world.”