MTV'S "THE REAL WORLD" TAKES OVER THE SUNNY ISLE OF ST. THOMAS, AS PRODUCTION BEGINS ON THE 27TH SEASON OF THE HIT SERIES

"The Real World: St. Thomas" is Set to Premiere Summer 2012 on MTV

New York, NY (March 01, 2012) - Set to take place in the capital of the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, MTV's "The Real World" begins production this month on the 27th season of the network's longest running hit reality series. The upcoming season will once again bring together seven strangers who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey together as they work hard and play harder. The roommates will not only experience what a 'real world' paradise has to offer, but they will reside in a custom decorated home that is the perfect backdrop for fun in the sun. "The Real World: St. Thomas" is slated for premiere Summer 2012 on MTV.

"The US Virgin Islands - long a spring vacation spot for young people - has beautiful weather and a laidback Caribbean culture, making it the perfect environment for this year's seven strangers to get to know each other and figure out their lives," said Jonathan Murray, Creator and Executive Producer of 'The Real World' and Chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions.

"As a U.S. Territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands is an excellent choice for Season 27 of 'The Real World.' The roommates, and MTV's viewers, get to experience the splendor of the Caribbean lifestyle, while MTV's production expenditure is reinvested into U.S. economy," said Commissioner of Tourism, Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "Viewers of the show will get an opportunity not only to see the roommates settle into their new lives on St. Thomas, but also to follow their cultural experiences across the other islands that comprise the USVI - St. Croix, St. John and 'the fourth Virgin' - Water Island."

"The Real World" launched the modern reality television genre and is the longest-running reality series in history. Past seasons have taken place in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Miami, Boston, Seattle, Hawaii, New Orleans, Chicago, Las Vegas, Paris, Philadelphia, Austin, Key West, Denver, Sydney, Hollywood, Brooklyn, Cancun, New Orleans, and San Diego. The first season, set in New York City, debuted in 1992. Each season, the show brings seven young adults to live together in a new city and the cameras roll 24-7, witnessing as their lives intersect, their ideas are challenged and their passions emerge.

"The Real World" was created for MTV by Jonathan Murray and Mary-Ellis Bunim of Bunim-Murray Productions. Jonathan Murray and Jim Johnston serve as Executive Producers of "The Real World: St. Thomas." Jacquelyn French is the MTV executive overseeing the project.

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

About Bunim/Murray Productions:

Bunim/Murray Productions is the leading producer of innovative entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World (25 seasons for MTV). Bunim/Murray continued to innovate with the first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. Bunim/Murray's current programming includes The Bad Girls Club, Love Games and the upcoming Best Ink (Oxygen), Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kourtney & Kim Take New York and Khloe & Lamar (E!), The Real World and The Challenge (MTV) and Project Runway and Project Runway All Stars (Lifetime). Bunim/Murray Productions has launched additional entities including M Theory Entertainment, BMP Films and M Music. BMP Films produced Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO). Based in Van Nuys, CA, Bunim/Murray Productions was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim. The company joined Banijay Group in 2010.