Blog #3 Cable Success: MTV

MTV (Music Television Network) is one of the most successful cable networks in television. One of the reasons for its success is music videos. In the 1980's, music videos were becoming popular towards the viewers who regularly watch. With MTV, I think that without music videos many fans would not have ever seen how they looked like unless they go to concerts to watch them. In Media and Culture, it says that African Americans did not have any music videos being played. Since the people who can afford cable were mostly white, I think that the network were pushing for white videos only, because they did not want to get into trouble with whites. With the success of Michael Jackson' Thriller album, African Americans were able to make videos seen in every household, which many whites were able to see how African Americans lived. I feel that if it wasn't for Michael Jackson's success, we would still have barriers in what we see on television. With Hip-Hop and R&B, I think no one would know about it and the only way to hear it is through word of mouth. Today, the music of Hip-Hop and R&B is popular and everyone knows about it. The other reason for its success is in the 1990's where the network pushed for original programming such as The Real World. Today, they show the Hills and MADE, which are reality shows about people's lives. This brings the viewers with more of an intimate setting to watch these kinds of shows. In class, we talked about that television brings more intimate setting with the people watching, because that person or thing we are watching is right there in front of us. These reality shows give the viewers a real soap opera. I feel that reality shows are pushing away music videos on MTV. Now, MTV is filled with these reality shows, which I do not like. The only way to watch music videos are during six in the morning or different MTV stations such as MTV Hits (Popular Music Videos) and MTV Jams (Hip-Hop and R&B Music Videos). Before, there was TRL (Total Request Live) on MTV. This is where the viewers watch celebrities and the top 10 music videos in America in one hour. After school, I would watch TRL, because it would show at 4 and thats the time many teenagers get out of school. Since the cancellation of TRL, I feel that there is no hope for music videos on MTV. Yet on the internet, MTV still show recent and upcoming music videos of many artist that people still get their music out there. I'm still wondering why they don't leave music videos on MTV. I believe the reason why is the network wants to have a regular audience with these reality shows on a specific time. Thus MTV is trying to get ratings by broadening the viewer's sights. I feel that MTV is going to be a popular network, because the viewer's today are into whatever they show.

MTV: www.mtv.com