MTV and Mountain Dew announce rock and hip-hop band contest

MTV2 and Mountain Dew are set to discover America’s Next Big Superstars with the 2007 Dew Circuit Breakout. Since 2002, Dew Circuit Breakout, MTV2’s partnership with Mountain Dew, has delivered a proven track record for finding the next big band poised for stardom including notable bands such as Halifax, HelloGoodbye, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, and Hawthorne Heights and provided a platform to give these bands their first taste of national, mainstream exposure. For the first time ever, MTV2 and Mountain Dew are giving rock and hip-hop bands from all across the country the opportunity to impress voters and MTV2 execs by giving them the chance to create band profiles and upload songs, video and pics onto dewcircuitbreakout.mtv2.com until September 30, 2007 in the hopes of becoming the next Dew Circuit Breakout star.
"The 2007 MTV2 Dew Circuit Breakout is a tremendous way for us to give amazing, bands on the rise the chance to be seen and heard by uploading their music through dewcircuitbreakout.mtv2.com and empower our audience to put their favorite bands on the map through their votes," stated Andy Hunter, SVP, MTV & VH1 Digital Television. "Mountain Dew has been an incredible partner in sharing our vision to continually help discover and develop local music talent across the country."

When the first round of voting ends on September 30th, twelve lucky bands will be hand-picked by MTV2's expert music and talent panel, and then the battle really begins. There will be three eliminations leading up to MTV2’s Live Finale on December 8th where 2007's victor will be crowned. Beginning October 1, viewers will vote to determine the top 6 finalists from the Top Twelve Finalists. The Top 6 Finalists will then get a visit from MTV crews as they rock out in their hometown and filmed in action for segments on air. Viewers will then determine the Top 3 Finalists who will then be flown to New York City to perform during the Dew Circuit Breakout Finale, LIVE from Times Square, where our winner will be announced.
The winning band will then get the chance to star in their very first MTV music video for rotation on-air, receive tons of exposure on MTV and MTV2, be strongly considered for MTV's Artist Of The Week, airtime on Discover & Download and Unleashed, where the latest, most anticipated, most cutting-edge work from the biggest players in rock and hip hop premiere on MTV2, and much, much more.
For complete details on the 2007 MTV2 Dew Circuit Breakout including band information, show dates, and much more, visit dewcircuitbreakout.mtv2.com.

MTV2 Dew Circuit Breakout is an MTV2 Production, in association with Mountain Dew.
Mountain Dew is a product of Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com), the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo Inc. in the United States and Canada.

About MTV Networks:
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.