MTV Expanding Its Empire

Russia will get its MTV late this year, via a multiyear licensing agreement between Moscow-based Biz Enterprises and New York-based MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. The advertiser-supported channel is expected to launch in 10 million households in the fourth quarter; content will be customized for Russia by Biz, which also has operations in radio stations, magazines and concert promotion. MTV lays claim to being available in one quarter of the world’s television households through MTV, M2, MTV Asia, MTV Australia, MTV Brasil, MTV Europe, MTV Japan, MTV Latin America and MTV New Zealand.