MTV To Spread Bush's Message to Arabs

By Elizabeth Darst

11/20/2001 at 10:54 AM EST

It might seem that nothing could have less in common than MTV and the U.S. government. But George W. Bush et al are asking the youth-oriented music channel to help spread positive messages to teens in the Muslim world, reports Variety. Known more for its splashy images of skimpily clad teen idols and baggy-pants rap stars, the cable network has always had a political undercurrent. In addition to shows like "The Real World" and "Total Request Live," MTV has spawned projects such as Rock the Vote and news forums with presidential candidates in an effort to make teens more politically responsible. The channel, owned by Viacom, has satellite networks all over the world, from Latin America to Asia and Europe, all hosted by local VJs who speak the regional languages. The channel has not made many inroads in Muslim countries so far, though it does air one show in Arabic, "Mashaweer," which includes a mix of Arabic, southern Euro and Latin-oriented music. MTV hopes to encourage communication between Middle-Easterners and Westerners by offering shows in which kids from all over the world share their views and debate current issues. Washington also asked the music channel to help present more positive images of the U.S. Let's just hope that "Jackass" doesn't make the cut.