The end of Total Request Live, and MTV in general?
Is it too early to say the music video has left Comment (added later):
With the exception of FNMTV, the MTV Suite, and a few shows on MTV2, there really is little left to the pile of rubble that is today's MTV (in America). While MTV does have The Hills, proving that it still has some cultural cachet with its target audience, its sister network VH1 has more going for it with shows like Flavor of Love and Best Week Ever.
What does MTV have that can keep it afloat in the next few years? The Hills. And probably Paris Hilton's My New BFF. From what I can tell, that's it. Will FNMTV save the day? I doubt it. Will MTV eventually restructure and rename itself? At this point, that looks much more likely, as the name Music Television will have lost any use but as a punchline to a long-forgotten joke.
MTV: This is it. The blue pill. Or the red pill. Take your pick.
May I refer you to the youtube list of top 100 most viewed videos. More than 50% are official music videos, and another 25% are homages, parodies, or unofficial cuts.
Scoreboard.
The fact that TRL is leaving the air is new this week, but it is hardly new news. This is like one of those rare aboriginal languages, where the number of people that speak it dwindle every year. The language isn't exactly 'dead' but it is obvious where it is headed. There is one old person left that knows all the words, but since there is no one for them to talk to, it is clear the language dies with grandpa.
The way things work has simply changed. No one will sit still for a video/band they don't like. YouTube has taught us that.
Why should MTV program hours of videos that they KNOW will get bad ratings? Their job is to be a business, not make sure that music videos get played on cable television.
An old MTV VJ discusses the end of TRL: defamer.com
Here is a very early 30f post on the subject. 2005, y'all!!! 30frames.blogspot.com
For those people that get hung up on the fact that MTV shouldn't have an 'M' in their name if they aren't gonna play music videos ... I don't know what to tell ya. Do you also get mad that the 'World Famous Chili' at 'Dave's World Famous Chili' isn't actually renowned in Tokyo and Senegal?
So what's with the skepticism? I think it's great that MTV's hanging it up. It's lease expired, as the channel switched to the hills and all sorts of hollow programing. I kinda blame the web for this change, and agree with 30F above on this.
The politics of the music industry have changed, and there isn't a web model for music videos that works to it's advantage. Only a dedicated loyal following continue to support music videos, where most people only give a shit about what suits them. That's the power of the web, it's a double edged sword.
Frankly videos still matter, and the demise of MTV makes it possible for another player to get off the bench. Look for corporate sponsorship to pick up the slack, it's already happening.
M..t..v? I'm new here guys, what is this M-T-V ?
Is it dangerous?
I miss TheTube. :(
Big deal. TRL sucks anyway. So they're not going to play 20 second clips of the same five Rihanna and Lil Wayne videos. Boo hoo.
The point was mainly about MTV itself, not music videos (or TRL, really). Music video will go on with or without MTV, and, hopefully, without it. And for God's sake, hurry it up, MTV, we're tired of you dragging our faithful asses around.
Though I am currently a senior in high school, I managed to spend this past summer at the University of Houston for a film camp. At the school's food centers, and cafeterias There were tons of TV monitors playing MTVu nonstop. Now imagine this, they played Music Videos!!! All kinds!!! From the sick spitting Lil Wayne, to mainstream boy bands like Jonas Brothers, to nasty internet buzz bands like Black Kids, all the way to rising stars like Santogold. It's my understanding that this version of MTV is common to most Universities, and dorm rooms.
Now, I know everyone's given up on the MTV channel (myself included) but I want to know what everyone thinks of this special branch of MTV? Personally I think it works. Why can't everyone have access to this magical channel?
Just shoot the pitiful thing already...
If they're smart MTV will shift it's resources to become a mostly web based company that offers a dozen or so different High Quality streaming playlists that viewers can choose from depending on their interests.
Making programing decisions based on network ratings is archaic, bad for viewers and bad for indie contact makers.
mainchara: mtvU is brilliant. I saw it in its early stages and I can't endorse it enough. Their playlist is really cool.
It just occurred to me that perhaps TRL was, as a whole, the proverbial "nail in the coffin."
And now they're burying it.
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