MTV EMAs

MTV will launch the fifteenth MTV Europe Music Awards later this week and Bill Roedy, president, MTV Networks International, tells TBI how the event has evolved since 1994.

The first ceremony was hosted in Berlin with the event overlooking the foot of the Brandenburg Gate and the spectre of the Berlin Wall.

"We’re constantly trying to reinvent ourselves and over the years we’ve gone from having a host, to no host, different cities, same cities," he says. "It’s evolved to be much more music, maybe earlier it was more about awards. It’s also more internationally diverse, with more international artists."

This year’s event, which is being in Liverpool, UK and will include performances from Beyonce, Kanye West and The Killers, will see the broadcaster attempt to make each feed more local. "We have local feeds across Europe and each feed will have country specific artists," Roedy says.

While, the EMAs is the company’s largest international event, it is also eyeing further regional events following the success of shows in China and Latin America. "We have over 35 awards shows from the EMAs to the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. We do a lot in exotic locations from China, India, Japan, Latin America and Russia. But local versions in Holland and Romania also work well. It can work on a smaller level if we keep a tight budget," he adds.

Roedy adds that his favourite EMA performances include George Michael’s performance of Freedom and U2’s show in Stockholm, where they premiered hit single Beautiful Day.

US blog celebrity Perez Hilton will be hosting an online red carpet show as part of the digital roll out. "I’m looking forward to seeing [former Atomic Kitten singer] Kerry Katona, if she turns up. She’s a bit of a mess," he says.