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What was the reason that MTV/Much Music Changed?


Charles J. White

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What was the reason that MTV/Much Music Changed?

Why the almost over night change from being a music format channel to the dumping of music entirely? Were the music/record labels behind it? What was the reason?

And could an all television music channel revive music sales?

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What was once innovative - an all music TV channel - became too niche for the marketplace, so they switched to a non-music format to remain viable as an entertainment channel.

In hindsight it wasn't an overnight transition but one that occurred gradually through the years. It's a numbers game, and what it came down to is there wasn't enough popular/original music content being produced to fill a 24 hour viewing cycle year after year without excessive repetition or off-putting predictability, both of which drives viewers away (and lowers ad revenue).

I see no need for an all music tv channel in the "YouTube era". Why would anyone pay to sit through tv commercials on the off chance they'll get to watch a music video they may be interested in when they can go to the keyboard and see exactly what they want for free?

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At least the new format is different, beats listening to the same tunes 20 times a day, usually awful ones.

VH1 Classic's schedule for tonight...

Black Sheep,

A Few Good Men,

Pop Up Video,

Married with Children,

and Larry Sanders...

Absolutely nothing to do with music except for Pop up Video.. (which sucks)

I'd take the early MTV format over this any day, with some concerts and That Metal Show thrown in for good measure..

I agree they play the shittiest videos under the sun when they do play them..

And that's VH1...

MTV is beyond terrible.. I know it's the generation gap...but i can't relate to it at all.

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Martha Quinn still looks youthful! [re: clip above]

The Chase, VH1 Classic shows "Behind the Music" episodes, including new-ish ones on Bad Company and Deep Purple; they also have That Metal Show in heavy rotation on the weekends, as well as concerts and music-oriented films.

I don't know if it's MTV that sucks, or just popular music in general. Possibly both.

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Reality television (The Real World) proved to be a better seller for the entertainment sector than taking a chance on new music. The emergence of the internet, with Napster and eventually YouTube, proved to be the death nail for MTV.

Actually, no. When MTV replaced their CEO from one devoted to music to one devoted to reality television, that's when MTV officially died.

One can make the case if music people were actually in control of the network, they could change with the times, innovate and bring it back to a music station. But that's likely not going to happen since more tweens care about watching shows glorifying teenage pregnancy than watching music artists do videos and interviews.

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