Wyclef Jean to Host the MTV Australia Awards 2008

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL SUNDAY MARCH 30 2008
Press Release New Zealand

Grammy Award Winning Hip-Hop Artist Wyclef Jean to Host the ‘MTV Australia Awards 2008’

MTV Mile High Gig tickets - including tickets to MTV Australia Awards –are on sale now from airnewzealand.co.nz

AUCKLAND, SUNDAY MARCH 30 2008: MTV Networks New Zealand today announced Hip-Hop legend Wyclef Jean as the host of the ‘MTV Australia Awards 2008’ (MTVAA’S). He joins a growing list of unique and talented performers and presenters including 50 Cent, Juliette Lewis & Eve. The MTV Australia Awards 2008 will broadcast on MTV on Monday April 28 from 7pm.

The Haitian-born Grammy Award-winning artist is known for many things: musician, rapper, producer, social activist - and his list of artistic endeavours will no doubt grow as he does. With a career that has seen him join forces with some of the biggest names in the business including Lauren Hill (fellow Fugee member), Destiny's Child, Timbaland Mary J Blige, Cypress Hill, Missy Elliott, Bono, Mick Jagger, Shakira and Tupac Shakur, Wyclef is on the top of everyone’s wish list.

"Look out I am bringing the Carnival down under for one whirlwind MTV ride" Said Wyclef Jean of being this years Host of the all new MTV AA's. "You already know that MTV Awards Shows around the world know how to bring the house down....and with me who knows what will happen!"

The MTV Australia Awards 2008 will feature eight live musical performances and eleven awards presented across music, film, television, sport, viewer-generated content and topical pop culture moments. Eight categories will be viewer-chosen with voting open from now until April 25, 2008. The remaining three categories – favorites in sports, film/tv actor and international music act will be selected by MTV Australia as a way of acknowledging those who have had a significant influence on the Australian MTV audience and are yet to be announced.

Kiwis can be there in person by purchasing a highly coveted seat on the MTV Mile High Gig, in association with Air New Zealand. Be quick because there are only a handful of seats left! The MTV Mile High Gig departs Auckland for Sydney at 5.30pm on ANZAC day, Friday April 25. Tickets to this once in a life time experience are on sale NOW from airnewzealand.co.nz.

Viewers can have their say by voting for The New Zealand Artist Award online at www.mtv.co.nz. Voting closes Friday, April 25. In the running are Atlas, The Checks, The Mint Chicks, Opshop and Scribe

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THE VIEWER VOTED CATEGORIES FOR THE ‘MTV AUSTRALIA AWARDS 2008’

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Fergie Clumsy
Mika Happy Ending
Delta Goodrem Believe Again
Foo Fighters The Pretender
50 Cent feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland Ayo Technology

AUSTRALIAN ARTIST MUSIC AWARD
Sneaky Sound System N/A
Silverchair N/A
Delta Goodrem N/A
The Veronicas N/A
Operator Please N/A

NEW ZEALAND ARTIST AWARD
Opshop N/A
Scribe N/A
The Mint Chicks N/A
Atlas N/A
The Checks N/A

MTV LIVE PERFORMER AWARD
Foo Fighters Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace Tour
Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow Tour
P!nk I’m Not Dead Tour
Lupe Fiasco Snow Jam
Juliette & the Licks The Lair

TELEVISION MOMENT AWARD
Chaser’s War on Everything APEC 2007 Stunt
Corey Worthington The ‘A Current Affair’ Interview
Jake Brown X Games 45ft stack & stand
A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila Brandi and Vanessa’s fight
Snoop Dogg MTV Citizenship campaign

MTV GOOD KARMA AWARD
Bliss n Eso South African fundraising efforts, including ‘Bullet and a Target’ charity single
Sea Shepherd Crew of the Steve Irwin Trying to keep whales on the planet a little longer
Young People of Australia For believing saying sorry was something worth voting for
Earth Hour Engaging Australia and the world to act against climate change.
Movember Raising awareness and funding for male health issues

BAD KARMA AWARD
Kevin Andrews For refusing Snoop Dogg entry into Australia
Kevin Andrews For saying “He doesn't seem the sort of bloke we want in this country”
Kevin Andrews For defining ‘bad hair day’
Kevin Andrews For all of the above, especially the hair, and the Snoop Dogg thing

REMAKE AWARD
Summer Heights High Ja’mie’s teary tirade
Chris Crocker ‘Leave Britney Alone’ freakout
Heath Franklin Chopper’s Weather Report
Roads & Traffic Authority ‘Speeding. No One Thinks Big of You.’ Campaign

Winners will be announced at the MTV Australia Awards on Saturday, April 26 2008. The show will broadcast on MTV, channel 60 SKY Digital, Monday, April 28 from 7pm. Further MTV Australia Awards talent will be announced in the coming weeks.

About MTV New Zealand: MTV NZ is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel targeting 15 -29 year olds on SKY Digital channel 60 and SKY Mobile TV on Vodafone 3G. Visit www.mtv.co.nz for more details.

About MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Comedy Central and Game One seen in 420 million households in 164 countries and 18 languages via 104 locally programmed and operated TV channels and 90 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).

ENDS

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