MTV is an Italian pay television network, owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA and operated by Sky Italia. History Prior to the launch of a 24-hour Italian speaking MTV, MTV viewers in Italy received the pan-European version of MTV. Regionalization of MTV in Europe began in March 1997 with the launch of a German-speaking MTV, followed by a UK branded channel in July of the same year. The Italian channel officially launched in London in September 1997, when its transmissions also entered into the television programming of Rete A. In 2000, MTV Italy moved to the frequencies of the late TMC2 (already acquired by Telecom Italia and formerly known as Videomusic) thus becoming a standalone channel and getting more and more like every other "big" network in Italy, showing news, movie trailers and other things which would never have fit into the former schedules of the channel. The handover and the whole changing process was advertised with the name of "MTV Regeneration". The channel's operations moved from London to Milan. On 5 July 2013, Telecom Italia Media announced it would be selling its 51% stake in MTV Italy to Viacom for €13.4 million. Telecom Italia Media committed to waiving its financial receivables of €9.7 million as part of the deal. The sale was completed on 12 September 2013. On 13 June 2015, Italian newspaper La Repubblica anticipated the purchase of channel 8 occupied by MTV. On 31 July 2015, Sky Italia took over ownership of the MTV free-to-air channel. The original MTV Italy changed its name to MTV8. On the same day, a new channel named MTV Next was launched, and then renamed to MTV. Programming Several shows were made up locally, featuring Italian music and artists. Some of the most popular shows on the channel were the Italian version of Total Request Live, LoveLine, Brand New, other are original ones like Very Victoria, Italo-Francese, Avere Ventanni and Hitlist Italia. In 2016 MTV launched successful docu-reality Riccanza on rich kids of Italy, now on its third season, and in 2018 spinoffs Richissitudes - Riccanza Francia (co-produced with MTV France), Mamma che Riccanza! (on rich mums) and Riccanza - Vita da Cani (rich dogs). MTV Italy also showed a variety of reality shows (mainly imported from MTV US) and TV series such as Scrubs, Less Than Perfect and The Office. From 1999 to 2010, the channel has shown several Japanese anime on