2008 Woodie Awards
It's called Music Television, but where is the music?
Erin Miller
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Opinion
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We can all remember running home after school to watch Total Request Live with black nail polish adoring Carson Daly, to count down the top 10 most requested videos made by everyone else our age. Now, I find myself hard-pressed to find any video playing on MTV, no matter when I turn it on. Where did the music go?
MTV, short for Music Television, may have officially lost its original intentions. It is my belief that the network has officially sold out to pop-culture and is no longer about the music. There are hardly any music-based shows left, or even many worthwhile programs (other than The Hills, of course. What can I say, I am just as addicted, if not more, than most girls I know). But where exactly should MTV draw the line between completely selling out, and remaining true to itself and its fans?
How about drawing the line with their new show, "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila"? Recently featured in an article on mediaresearch.org entitled "MTV continues to be top media corruptor of Teens," the show is based on a sexually confused bi-sexual who engages with boys and girls to find her "one true love" on public television. Who would have ever thought a network with the name Music Television would feature a show like this? I bet whoever created the channel would have never thought they would be considered the "top media corruptor of teens."
Don't get me wrong, dating shows are fine and entertaining. Homosexual and bisexual shows are certainly fine by me as well. But making a mockery out of ones sexuality and showing the distastefulness of its content in a simple 10 second preview commercial is simply ridiculous. And so is playing it on a channel entitled MUSIC television.
I remember not being allowed to watch MTV until I was about 10 or 11 years old, not because of its corruptive potential, but because there were certain songs my parents didn't want me hearing. Although banned, I used to always sneak to see my favorite bands anyway. I recall watching the Spice Girls sing "Wannabe," or the boys of N'SYNC dance around. And who can forget Britney dressed as a school girl in her first video?
MTV, short for Music Television, may have officially lost its original intentions. It is my belief that the network has officially sold out to pop-culture and is no longer about the music. There are hardly any music-based shows left, or even many worthwhile programs (other than The Hills, of course. What can I say, I am just as addicted, if not more, than most girls I know). But where exactly should MTV draw the line between completely selling out, and remaining true to itself and its fans?
How about drawing the line with their new show, "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila"? Recently featured in an article on mediaresearch.org entitled "MTV continues to be top media corruptor of Teens," the show is based on a sexually confused bi-sexual who engages with boys and girls to find her "one true love" on public television. Who would have ever thought a network with the name Music Television would feature a show like this? I bet whoever created the channel would have never thought they would be considered the "top media corruptor of teens."
Don't get me wrong, dating shows are fine and entertaining. Homosexual and bisexual shows are certainly fine by me as well. But making a mockery out of ones sexuality and showing the distastefulness of its content in a simple 10 second preview commercial is simply ridiculous. And so is playing it on a channel entitled MUSIC television.
I remember not being allowed to watch MTV until I was about 10 or 11 years old, not because of its corruptive potential, but because there were certain songs my parents didn't want me hearing. Although banned, I used to always sneak to see my favorite bands anyway. I recall watching the Spice Girls sing "Wannabe," or the boys of N'SYNC dance around. And who can forget Britney dressed as a school girl in her first video?
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
patrick beard
posted 10/10/07 @ 3:22 PM EST
I am in complete agreement with you. I was a video tape operator at MTV from 1991 to 2000. In that time I worked on all the shows. These ranged from Yo! MTV Raps, Hangin' with MTV, MTV Live, 120 Minutes and of course TRL. (Continued…)
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