MTV a well known respected brand that built its image on being "counter culture". Known for pushing the envelope on many topics, it is hailed as being a voice for the tale end of the Baby Boomers, upcoming Generation Xers, and now Generation Y. MTV achieved what many companies would have taken years to do; build a brand image that would give it the power to directly influence its chosen market. MTV, is essentially the King and Queen of the music world. Commanding worldwide media attention, and exclusive access to many of the world's music products.

     MTV can make or break you. If you are not in, you are not in at all. America and the world's number one music information source is MTV. Many would die for that kind of influence. Some will even be put on trial by the United States government. But fear not monopoly haters! MTV may have just put the nail in its own coffin.

     Being the only major outlet for popular music nationwide and in many cases the world is a large responsibility. Especially when you are trying to keep maintain your influence and expand on your company's brand. In order to maintain and achieve this amount of influence a company will have to diversify its product line. Hence the birth of the MTV television series, movies and related licensed merchandise.

     Many of the Y Generation, do not probably remember when MTV actually played videos, nearly twenty-four hours a day. No Real World, No Road Rules, No Beavis or Butthead, No Daria (could you imagine?!)-Just the damn music. And it was good. Of course the station became even better when they "diversified" their play list to include Rap/Hip-Hop, R&B. Things were good, because video killed the radio star. Many times a video could boost an unpopular song and its singer(s) to super stardom. But then MTV decided to "diversify" its programming. Perhaps playing videos all day was just not pulling the viewers in hence, the barrage of current programming. And the inclusion of more people trying to fulfill Andy Warhol's prophecy "In the future every person will have 15 minutes of fame". Now everyday during some show you will have to hear: "I am from West Bubba F**k, NY and I voted for so and so because they rock!- SCREAM!"

     Now Video Disc Jockey's or VJ's are becoming STARS! So it seemed logical that MTV would eventually have its own clothing lines and video games based on some of its hottest game shows. MTV expanded to have non-musicians be a part of its scene. But what happened to the music?

     Well in my opinion it got lost in some marketing department. Promotions, concerts, exclusive interviews, a little soft money will get even the most untalented annoying personality their own show on MTV. There was time when a music fan/consumer could turn to MTV for something the corporate controlled censored radio would not play. Now, MTV's music rotation is just as heavy as any radio station in the USA.

     MTV's story is not an uncommon to most American businesses. This is the story with many American companies, who begin as prodigy's of their industry. Eventually the smart kid has to grow up, and when the prodigy grows up, it often loses site of what it made it so special.

     But what can you the music fan do to reclaim "Their MTV"? Read on to find out!!

Continue to Page 2

Related Topics

• Does MTV Suck?
• Musicians, Fans, and MTV-There Can Be a Happy Medium
• We The People: FTC and Coalition of States, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands File Anti-Trust Charges Against America's Top Record Companies.

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