3 ms·

When MTV debuted 40 years ago, everyone thought it would fail

20 points by hhs 5y ago

twobitshifter 5y ago
It’s certainly failing now, but MTV did pioneer music videos which account for a large percentage of YouTube’s videos views. I remember being able to watch music videos on MTV at one point, I’m not sure how they dropped the ball there. It’s obviously preferable to be able to watch the video you want to see instead of having to sit through the TRL countdown and they knew it was coming. The other item that was pioneered by MTV was reality TV, which although I hate it has now become a lot of what social media like Instagram is made up of. Why aren’t the kardashians posting on an MTV platform?
- hhs 5y ago
  The article seems to suggest that the issue is niche media and stratification. The author writes: "And certainly, MTV isn’t “the new MTV.” Viacom (the media company that bought MTV in 1985) failed to transition to the internet era and lost control of the zeitgeist. The channel, now visually bland, seems to play an endless loop of Ridiculousness episodes. A few years ago, Tom Freston said “It breaks my heart” to look at the current state of MTV. Nothing can be “the new MTV,” because 2021 is as different from 1981 as 1981 was from 1901. If there is a new singularity, it’s the Internet itself, a rabbit hole big enough for all mankind. Mass media has been replaced by niche media, and music platforms, like most of pop culture, are stratified."
- IMTDb 5y ago
  > music videos which account for a large percentage of YouTube’s videos views I don't really think people actually watch the video that much. The number one requested feature for the YouTube player was "let me hear the music with the app in the background (aka: without video)". The whole point was to listen to music for free without the need for an extra app. Many youtube music video are just static images with the song playing in the background.
- nitwit005 5y ago
  They didn't drop the ball. Much like Netflix, once they were successful people started demanding more and more to show their content, which eventually escalated into failure to reach licensing deals. No just something effecting MTV of course. There are TV shows that no longer air, and have no DVD release, because the costs to license the music in them again is prohibitive: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090117/0537253446.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090117/0537253446.shtml
hulitu 5y ago
" The all-video format often put off viewers; would a Bon Jovi fan sit through a Run-DMC video, and vice versa? MTV decided they needed their programming to be stickier, which meant actual shows, not just videos " This is when MTV died. Yes, a "Bon Jovi fan" will maybe sit through a Run DMC video but when instead of the video he will get a reality show , he will not sit anymore.
- anonAndOn 5y ago
  FTR, Rick Rubin got a massive crossover hit with Aerosmith and Run DMC. [0] [0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-Gk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-Gk
thrower123 5y ago
At this point, I'm not sure that MTV has anything other than that show where a panel of C-list celebrities heckle TikTok videos I wish I was kidding, but take a look at the TV lineup yourself https://www.mtv.com/tv-schedule/mtv https://www.mtv.com/tv-schedule/mtv
- pwned1 5y ago
  Haha, wow. It might as well be the ridiculousness channel.
scruffyherder 5y ago
It did. Adam Curry detailed it all

20 points by hhs 5y ago

It’s certainly failing now, but MTV did pioneer music videos which account for a large percentage of YouTube’s videos views. I remember being able to watch music videos on MTV at one point, I’m not sure how they dropped the ball there. It’s obviously preferable to be able to watch the video you want to see instead of having to sit through the TRL countdown and they knew it was coming. The other item that was pioneered by MTV was reality TV, which although I hate it has now become a lot of what social media like Instagram is made up of. Why aren’t the kardashians posting on an MTV platform?

hhs 5y ago
The article seems to suggest that the issue is niche media and stratification. The author writes: "And certainly, MTV isn’t “the new MTV.” Viacom (the media company that bought MTV in 1985) failed to transition to the internet era and lost control of the zeitgeist. The channel, now visually bland, seems to play an endless loop of Ridiculousness episodes. A few years ago, Tom Freston said “It breaks my heart” to look at the current state of MTV. Nothing can be “the new MTV,” because 2021 is as different from 1981 as 1981 was from 1901. If there is a new singularity, it’s the Internet itself, a rabbit hole big enough for all mankind. Mass media has been replaced by niche media, and music platforms, like most of pop culture, are stratified."
IMTDb 5y ago
> music videos which account for a large percentage of YouTube’s videos views I don't really think people actually watch the video that much. The number one requested feature for the YouTube player was "let me hear the music with the app in the background (aka: without video)". The whole point was to listen to music for free without the need for an extra app. Many youtube music video are just static images with the song playing in the background.
nitwit005 5y ago
They didn't drop the ball. Much like Netflix, once they were successful people started demanding more and more to show their content, which eventually escalated into failure to reach licensing deals. No just something effecting MTV of course. There are TV shows that no longer air, and have no DVD release, because the costs to license the music in them again is prohibitive: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090117/0537253446.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090117/0537253446.shtml

hulitu 5y ago

" The all-video format often put off viewers; would a Bon Jovi fan sit through a Run-DMC video, and vice versa? MTV decided they needed their programming to be stickier, which meant actual shows, not just videos " This is when MTV died. Yes, a "Bon Jovi fan" will maybe sit through a Run DMC video but when instead of the video he will get a reality show , he will not sit anymore.

anonAndOn 5y ago
FTR, Rick Rubin got a massive crossover hit with Aerosmith and Run DMC. [0] [0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-Gk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_UYYPb-Gk

thrower123 5y ago

At this point, I'm not sure that MTV has anything other than that show where a panel of C-list celebrities heckle TikTok videos I wish I was kidding, but take a look at the TV lineup yourself https://www.mtv.com/tv-schedule/mtv https://www.mtv.com/tv-schedule/mtv

pwned1 5y ago
Haha, wow. It might as well be the ridiculousness channel.

scruffyherder 5y ago

It did. Adam Curry detailed it all