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Good news, bad news at MTV MTV Networks International has sealed a number of programme sales in Europe and the Asia Pacific regions, while at MTV UK some 80 jobs are expected to go due to the cost-cutting drive by parent company Viacom. On the sales front, SBS in Belgium has picked up MTV’s Punk’d, featuring Ashton Kutcher. In Germany, ZDF will air VH1’s acoustic live music show, Lenny Kravitz Unplugged, and RTL2 has taken the first three seasons of CMT’s Trick My Truck. VH1's fly-on-the-wall reality shows, My Fabulous Life and All Access, have both been picked up by the Fox channel in Greece and Cyprus, plus Rustavi 2 in Georgia. Rustavi 2 will also broadcast MTV car makeover show, Pimp My Ride. Over in the Asia Pacific region, New Zealand’s main terrestrial broadcaster TVNZ has picked up MTV’s reality drama, Laguna Beach, while the territory's Prime TV channel will air CMT’s Cowboy U. South Korea’s Fox Network, meanwhile, has picked up MTV shows Punk’d, Room 401 and Final Fu. XYZ Network's Country Music Channel in Australia has launched a range of CMT programming this month, including Ty Murray’s Bull Riding Challenge, Gone Country and Crossroads. These sales come as MTV Networks International says goodbye to its senior VP of programme sales Debbie Back, as reported by C21 last week. At MTV UK the company is also shedding some 10% of staff, around 80 jobs, as it tightens its belt for 2009. MTV UK as well as MTVNI have entered into a formal 30-day consultation process to bring down the headcount and the cabsat broadcaster is considering shuttering its in-house production unit and farming the work out to the independent sector. Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman said: "We are moving rapidly to adapt to the challenges presented by the current economic environment. The changes we are making in our organisation and processes will better position Viacom to navigate the economic slowdown and generate sizable efficiencies." Ed Waller 22 Dec 2008 © C21 Media 2008 
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