MTV Kickstart Judging Panel Announed

TUESDAY APRIL 22 2008
New Zealand Press Release

P MONEY, BLINDSPOTT’S DAMIAN ALEXANDER AND 95BFM’S MIKEY HAVOC JOIN AN INCREDIBLE LINE-UP OF JUDGES WHO WILL DECIDE THE WINNER OF MTV KICKSTART

One week left to enter MTV Kickstart at www.myspace.com/mtvkickstartnz

AUCKLAND, TUESDAY APRIL 22 2008: MTV today announced Damian Alexander from Blindspott will be returning for his second year to judge MTV Kickstart, the competition literally aimed to ‘kick start’ the career of one lucky kiwi group/musician. Joining Damian will be iconic kiwi producer P Money. P Money is the perfect addition to the judging panel as unlike last years competition - that was aimed at rock acts - MTV Kickstart is now open to any artist/band irrespective of genre, the only criteria being that they have to be unsigned.

“I’m stoked that I’ve been asked to judge such an awesome competition”Say’s P-Money “Hopefully we’ll see some good up and coming talent and I’m happy to offer the music knowledge I have to these young artists”.

Damian and P Money will join the MTV Kickstart judging panel alongside long time music supporters: Mikey Havoc, 95bFM Breakfast Show Host; Real Groove Editor, Duncan Greive; Groove Guide Editor, Kerryanne Brett; Simone Stopford, MTV Talent and Artist Relations; Katherine Northover, MTV Programmer; Tania Dean, NZ On Air; Steve Newall, NZ Music Month Manager; Julie Warmington, MySpace Marketing Manager and Matt Headland, EMI Music New Zealand.

“The MTV Kickstart judging panel undoubtedly knows their shit when it comes to music”says MTV Network’s General Manager Chris Keely “it’s an honor to have them joining this important campaign as their feedback and support will be invaluable for aspiring artists. It will also make for compelling viewing as they argue it out to decide who should receive the MTV Kickstart grand prize”

Hundreds of musicians have already entered the competition and there is only one week left to enter. To win this opportunity, up and coming musicians from across New Zealand simply need enter via www.myspace.com/mtvkickstartnz before April 27. Up for grabs is an incredible prize pack, including
o $10,000 worth of flights
o A $5,000 NZ On Air music video grant
o $1,000 funding to professionally produce their single
o Video clip airplay on both MTV NZ and MTV Australia
o 1 month on-mtv exposure via MTV’s ‘This is my MTV’ campaign
o A performance on MTV Australia’s live music show ‘The Lair’
o bNet prize pack inc airplay & interviews etc
o MySpace prize pack including band profiling and advertising
o Media planning session with MTV, NZ On-air and NZ Music Commission
o A slot on a NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc radio promo sampler for the winning band's single
o A single distribution deal with EMI MUSIC NEW ZEALAND
o NZ Music Commission support pack inc legal advice & one year’s membership to Music Managers Forum

A series of closed auditions will be held across NZ in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin in conjunction with NZ Music Month. Industry judges will then select the top 5 bands from these auditions that will go on to compete against each other at a final event in Auckland on Friday May 30.

MTV Kickstart will broadcast on MTV, channel 60 SKY Digital, on Sunday June 22nd at 8pm.

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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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