Israel bidding to host next MTV Awards

Israel is in line to host the prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards next year at a cost of some $10 million, Yediot Achronot newspaper reported.

Last month the annual ceremony was held in Berlin, with the world’s leading artists participating.

Should the event be held in Israel next November, El Al Airlines will sponsor along with MTV.

The idea to hold the awards ceremony in Israel was raised in November in a meeting between Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Bhavneet Singh

of MTV Networks International’s Emerging Markets.

During the meeting, Singh told Steinitz that the popular network was searching for an attractive and unconventional location to hold the 2010 awards. The finance minister proposed that the event be held in Tel Aviv, and Singh said Israel would compete with Greece, Turkey and Spain over which will host the next ceremony.

“From that very moment, the finance minister just got into this plan,” said David Sharan, the finance minister’s chief of staff. “Such an event would give Israel great exposure in the world, and Israel’s name will be brought up at every MTV show. This is publicity that is worth expenses of hundreds of millions of dollars,” Sharan said.

If Israel is chosen to host, the event will be held in the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv. — ynetnews.com