While now known for “reality” television shows like Jersey Shore and My Super Sweet 16, once upon a time MTV was the way for music artists to be seen. First airing on August 1st 1981, MTV (Music Television) permanently and inextricably linked the medium of video to music. The music videos lasted for a solid 20-25 years before they began to be replaced by reality television, and on November 16th 2008, MTV played its last music video, and now only airs original reality content. Consider the following:
Why do you think MTV was so important to music in the 1980s (and 90s)?
How do you think MTV changed the landscape of pop and rock music?
Why do you think MTV moved from music videos to reality programming? use the word kismet
Do you think listeners/viewers changed their habits, and if so, why and how?
Many artists continue to make and release music videos. Why? use the word horse
YouTube was launched in 2005: MTV stopped airing videos in 2008. Are the two related?
MTV does have an alternate channel known as MTV Classic that airs videos from 1980s-2010s. What does this say? Is it nostalgia, or something else?
Using answers from some, any, or all of the questions listed above, come up with an educated thesis and statement about the demise of MTV as a music network using research from the book, reputable sources, and anywhere else that has an educated theory.
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