Gabrielle San Nicolas
MTV (MUSIC TELEVISION)
MTV is an American cable and satellite television channel, founded on August 1, 1981 in New York City, NY. The founders of music television, also known as MTV, are Robert Pittman, Les Garland, Tom Freston, and John Sykes.
When cable television had come out, the perspective of television had changed in the 1980s. Of course, there were other channels that people were watching before MTV even came out, but even though so many people were watching, nobody really had thought anything about music videos really being out there, but at 12:01 a.m. August 1, 1981, it all changed.
As a start of creating the now popular channel, MTV, it took up to seven months to really finish creating it. At first, the Warner Amex Board had declined the idea to launch a twenty-four hour music channel. It was not just them neither that had passed on showing out MTV, there were a few more that did not want to carry the channel, so Music Television did struggle for a while in the beginning. Not letting that incident stop the creation, the creators of MTV still had made the channel big. In the early days, MTV only had programs that consisted of basic music videos, and it was also provided for free from some record companies.
MTV had helped the creation of the most popular, well known celebrities in the world. It is said to be the reason why many people get discovered around the world. It is now watched by more than 340 million viewers in over 100 countries. MTV was not only known for the help of having artist being more out there. A publisher named Robert Sam Anson had stated, "MTV has been credited with creating icons (Michael Jackson and Madonna leading a long and glittering list), influencing fashion, spawning movies and television shows (Flashdance, Miami Vice), saving the music industry, even ending the Cold War. Not to mention, according to its critics, leading several young generations to perdition." MTV obviously had made such an impact to the world and many people around the world. It has really been an eye opener to their audiences.
The first music video that had aired on MTV was The Buggles, "Video Killed The Radio Star." When this video had come out onto the channel, it was only available to the audiences in some parts of New Jersey. Later, MTV had soon enough became an all around cable television show in parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America. They all have MTV branded cable television channels. Music Television had a huge impact on the pop culture, and the entertainment around the United states and around the world. It showed a change on what other people were really interested in watching on their cable television channels. It had changed the perspective from the audiences on what they would choose to watch and/or listen to on tv.
"Though virtually unknown in the States, The Buggles would be reborn and become one of the biggest one-hit wonders of all time thanks in large part to the "Video Killed The Radio Star" music video airing on MTV." http://www.businessinsider.com/video-killed-the-radio-star-34th-anniversary-of-music-video-on-mtv-2015-7 This quote has proven on how much MTV really influences and grows individuals and their music. Especially making it history as the "First music video ever played on Music Television." Even when it was their video that went on first, they did not think it was that much of a big deal, but they were truly mistaken. They did not know how much that really expanded their career path, and have the biggest one-hit wonders of all time.
MTV did not automatically turn into such a huge cable channel at first. It had taken time because only few were really able to watch it at the time. Because not many people were not really aware of the MTV cable television channel, not many people actually discussed about watching music videos. Tannenbaum had stated in an interview, "In fact, if you had said to someone in 1981, 'Do you want to watch a music video?' the person would have said, 'I don't know what you're talking about,' because the phrase didn't actually exist." It just didnt really come to anybody's thought to actually watch a music video. Until Music Television was truly discovered.
MTV did go through some controversy's, which in some of those situations, it almost had made the channel go down-hill. There were many complaints on how MTV had a lack of black artists. That's when Michael Jackson was introduced onto the most popular cable televison show. Having Michael Jackson on the channel, it had made the ratings on the channel go booming up. When their ratings started getting higher, that's when black artists started playing more on the channel.
Now-a-days, there are not many music videos that are played on Music Television anymore. There are more movies that are shown on the once so popular channel to play top hit music videos. Even though it was extremely known to show twenty-four hour long music videos, it is the most popular cable television channel around the world. Many people are still watching.
There were many popular celebrities that were actually discovered because of Music Television, and even though there are not many music videos that are showed off of MTV anymore, there are still many celebrities getting discovered off of other things than just music. Many people around the world still turn to MTV when it comes to watching cable television. Music Television has had such an impact on everybody around the world when it comes to music, fashion, and really many more things. MTV has got to such a high standard from where it had started and has changed the perspective of cable channels and music traditions. It is still the most known and popular cable television channel around the world. Thanks to Music Television, we had our most greatest, and known artists that we still remember today.