Running notes from on stage interview of Bill Roedy, CEO and Chairman MTV International.

LOCALIZATION
“MTV launched into localized content ‘back before it was cool’”.
“At the time, this was controversial because of opening local offices, transponders and all the expense. Now the local strategy has hooked us into many centers of cool around the world.”

“Our aim it to take elements from all channels and connect them to the rest of the world. There are many common elements about how our audience dresses, dates, eats and their music tastes. That said, there are a lot fewer global music stars now.”

CRISIS
“This is a global recession. I was not here in 1929, but 1980/81, 91 and 2001 we recovered strongly. In our business there are some recession-proof aspects. With cable TV subscriptions can go up because people want to stay home.”

Crisis plans for MTV:
1- Focus on the long term
2- Plan for it to be longer than it is.
3- Communicate with employees constantly
4- Energize your employees (redo the bonus structure)
5- There are competitive opportunities in tough times.

“There is a media ladder of where the pain hits first. It starts with print then radio, local television, broadcast television and then cable, Internet and digital.”

AIDS and CLIMATE CHANGE
“Television is often blamed for a lot of things, but by getting involved in issues TV can be a really good thing.”

Two goals of MTV’s AIDS efforts:
1- Arm audience with knowledge of how to protect themselves.
2- Discrimination: It is about humanity and equality.