Local Musicians Get A ‘Kick Start’ With MTV

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Musicians Get A ‘Kick Start’ With MTV

Auckland, 1 February 2007 - MTV have today cemented their commitment to support local up and coming musicians by announcing a competition set to ‘kick Start’ the career of one lucky NZ act. The initiative will literally help aspiring and independent artists get a ‘kick start’ in the industry by giving them all the tools necessary to break into the music world.

The winner is set to receive a professionally shot film clip produced by MTV, introduction to A&R execs and an all expenses paid trip to the Australia Video Music Awards. The NZ winner will also automatically be selected to fight against the top 5 Aussie finalists for the Kickstart Grand prize which includes the chance to win $22k, feature on MTV Australia’s newest show ‘The Lair’ as well as have their film clip played during the Australia Video Music Awards’ pre-show in front of thousands of industry people. Full Tank MTV’s travelling lifestyle show will be following the winner’s journey which will be featured in a special due to air in May.

To win this opportunity, up and coming musicians from across NZ simply need to submit a bio and an MP3 of their music to www.mtv.co.nz/kickstart from February 1 to February 22. Industry judges will select the top 5 entries to perform live at an Auckland based gig on March 9.

Long time independent music supporters Amplifier.co.nz, 95bFM and Groove Guide have committed to partner with MTV for the nation wide competition. They will be an integral part in helping MTV with the search. Chris Keely, MTV General Manger said: “We are in a unique opportunity with MTV Networks to really utilize our network to help support the local music industry and that’s exactly what Kickstart will do.”

“It’s great when big organizations devoted to providing youth entertainment and music get behind local talent and use their medium to give real opportunity. It is a pleasure to be able to give one lucky band this chance to hit the big time.” Says Stephen O’Hoy Business Manager Amplifier.co.nz.

“Winning an opportunity like this will be a dream come true for any up and coming artist. They will literally get everything handed to them on a silver platter – a true kick start!”

About MTV New Zealand: MTV NZ is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel targeting 15 -29 year olds on SKY Digital channel 35 About MTV Networks International: MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Paramount Comedy and Game One seen in 442.9 million households in 170 countries and 28 languages via 121 locally programmed and operated TV channels and 95 Web sites.

The company's diverse holdings also include interests in television syndication, digital media, publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and two feature film divisions, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

About Amplifier.co.nz: Amlifier is the home of New Zealand music. They're the only place you'll ever need to go to learn about NZ music, catch up on New Zealand music news, listen to your favorite kiwi musicians, watch NZ music videos and purchase CDs and legal MP3 music downloads by kiwi artists. Amplifier.co.nz started in 1999 and is the longest running legal music download site in New Zealand. Some of the artists that have been with them since the early days include Scribe, P-Money, Fat Freddy's Drop, Goodnight Nurse, Fast Crew, Goldenhorse, Steriogram and The Datsuns. Amplifier.co.nz is also a member of Independent Music New Zealand, an organisation dedicated to representing the indie record labels of NZ.

About Groove Guide: Groove Guide is, and has been for 3 years, New Zealand's most comprehensive and readily accessible music and entertainment street press. A whopping 10,000 are printed and distributed throughout the country every single week. Served up hot in every issue you'll find music reviews and interviews with local and international acts, the week's best album releases, live gig photos, competitions and giveaways, a massive tours & events section and of course the best damn nationwide gig guide you'll find anywhere!

The Groove Guide provides direct and credible communication with an audience renowned for its cynicism, yet voracious in its consumption of media which speaks it’s own language, providing up-to-date, vital lifestyle information and content, in a distinctly New Zealand voice. A concise (but highly charged and dedicated) team assemble what some may claim to be a small miracle each week, from the central Auckland offices of Real Groovy Records.

About 95bFM: In 1969 when students did crazy stuff, radio Bosom was born as a capping stunt. It was set up in a boat – which ran aground somewhere in Auckland's Waitemata harbour – and broadcast illegally on speakers around the Auckland University student union. Over the next few decades the Bosom morphed into the mighty 95bFM, a sizzling casserole of New Zealand music, news and views.

95bFM has independent news and interviews, weekdays on the Wire at midday. This is brought to you, the people, by volunteer staff who research the news and ask the questions that cut through the rhetoric. What you get is information you won't hear anywhere else, delivered in a style that doesn't patronise. 95bFM offers listeners a shelter from the harshness of mainstream (crap) radio. The ads are fuckin' funny and the attitude is real. It's the voice of the little guy or gal and the loudhailer of people who simply love good music. Give it a go. And not just once.

ENDS

© Scoop Media