The Lair: MTV lures locals

By targeting a constantly changing demographic, MTV must renovate itself as well as understand the local market. Nahal Donyadideh reports on two of their efforts.

With a 25-year old history in the US and an Australian presence since 1997, MTV’s young target audience demands a continuous renewal of its content and musical offerings. Each subsidiary of the multinational company is responsible for developing concepts to cater to the particular tastes of their local viewers.

The underground rock show The Lair is a local success story. The idea, according to producer and creator Dan Mansour, was to showcase local bands alongside big acts in a venue “that everyone would love to go to.” This, says host Darren McMullen, is “a big responsibility” because it’s the only show in the country giving young artists the chance to break out into the mass market.

The Lair is shot on location at The Metro, an iconic Sydney rock venue. “When we first went there, the place looked like an RSL room, but they were great and management allowed us to knock down walls and turn the place into a ‘rock dungeon’.”