Many of the Teeming Millions seem to dislike MTV. But, I want to know why. Is it the actual music videos that you dislike? Is it all that other programming they have? Or both. Basically, I’m curious in finding the root of your hatred.
As for me, the only music TV I watch is VH1’s Behind the Music. That show is strangely addicting.
Adam
Shoot. I put this in GQ by accident. It probably should have gone in MPSIMS.
Hatred is a pretty strong word for my feelings about MTV. Boredom is a little closer to what I feel. I blame the religous right, and sponsors. MTV was actually pretty good in the early days.
Peace,
mangeorge
Work like you don’t need the money…
Love like you’ve never been hurt…
Dance like nobody’s watching! …(Paraphrased)
Yep it is horrible…with a target audience IQ somewhere between a head of lettuce and a carrot…Anyone recall the MTV of the 80’s? Before Rap? The format was to play one good song after another…pink floyd,Mike and The Mechanics,Dream Academy,crowded house,Genesis,U2,White Snake, Night Ranger,Kansas,Boston,peter gabriel,Paul Young,Robert Palmer,Simply Red,Phil Collins, etc etc etc
Of course that’s just my opinion I could be wrong.
Dennis Miller
I’ve got more, but I think that covers it for now. It’s never been good, though - it sucked in the early 80s and it’s gone rapidly downhill like the Agony of Defeat.
Hell is Other People.
MTV shows music videos?
Your Official Cat Goddess since 10/20/99.
“I get along well with everybody.” --I.M.F.
Yup. MPSIMS.
Whenever I manage to surf past MTV now, I see lots of teen angst in real life formats. Back in the good 'ole days, it was the only channel where you could waste 8 hours of alpha waves on great videos and not have a single thing to show for it. Sometimes I long for those days…
Well, I suppose someone must enjoy watching a bunch of nearly naked, inarticulate losers mutter pornographically to one another…
What makes all this worse is that they have no competition, because MTV demands exclusivity on videos for at least several weeks. Then they don’t show them – the vast majority of videos that they show at all are shown only once per week (the paper I work for measures their airplay.)Some record companies are beginning to complain about this, but I don’t imagine much will change.
Catrandom
well,
the focus is lost… no more music, its all trends and dumb shows, thats all they show now mostly
to catch a video you have to watch it at 4 am or something.
go watch vh1 and their legends and behind the music, and other shows, at least those are good!
Chief’s Domain - http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi
aha - while I don’t want to criticise your music tastes (honest - each to their own and all that), that list would make me switch off any channel…if MTV wants to be the “new” music channel, most of those names will never appear again.
(and if you’re going to attack the target audience’s IQ, I’d think twice about putting Robert Palmer, Genesis or Simply Red in there as examples of “high IQ” music - give me an hour and I could come up with better lyrics than Mick Hucknall…)
However, I think Sake was closer in hitting the nail on the head…got to agree with (2), (4) and (5) on your list, mate. MTV UK seems obsessed with the idea of ‘show hosts’ more concerned with their own ego and rent-an-opinion drivel than with any genuinely new or exciting music.
And don’t get me started on that bloody “Real World” show (or whatever it’s called) - I really don’t care about angsty twentysomethings in Honolulu and their inability to ‘get a grip’. Sort your problems out, get help, but please don’t televise it for my benefit.
Apologies, rant over. I would just like a channel that doesn’t play non-stop pap (thanks, ‘The Box’) or Prince’s ‘1999’ on heavy rotation (thanks, VH1).
Hey! I liked most of the things in aha’s list 
–
Teeming Millions: http://fathom.org/teemingmillions
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O p a l C a t
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ARG220… I thought God told you to stay away from this message board???
-MrSCOTT
I recall a time when MTV was worth sitting down and watching for 30 minutes or so. Seeing a new video for the first time was fun, and nearly all the videos were neat, little mini-movies with a plot and everything (I especially enjoyed the Weird Al videos). When the videos began looking like concert video footage all string together, I lost interest.
I never watch music videos any more. I might watch some this Christmas if there are any good Dr. Demento-style parodies of traditional Christmas songs being shown, but I shan’t hold my breath waiting.
–Baloo
I once lost my corkscrew and had to live on food and water for several days
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I looked in the mirror today/My eyes just didn’t seem so bright
I’ve lost a few more hairs/I think I’m going bald - Rush
During their recent “100 Greatest Videos of All Time” program, I noticed they weren’t even playing entire videos; just snippets, at least until they reached the Top 20. My wife commented, “Have they gotten so bad at actually playing videos that they can’t even handle this?”
“It’s my considered opinion you’re all a bunch of sissies!”–Paul’s Grandfather
I think a better question is “what’s good about Mtv”?
Actually M2 is quite good, mainly because it follows the old format all videos, only videos all the time.
Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
I used to like MTV but since I’m 38 I don’t take offense that I’m no longer in the target demogrpahic.
The first time I saw it was when a roomie got cable in our house in San Diego around '82. The first thing I ever saw was Duran Duran’s Rio video and I was mesmerized. I had never seen anything so cool in my life. The TV never got switched to another channel. Since stereo TV didn’t exist we listened to the sounds simulcast on FM over the cable.
Well, I guess I’m a moron.
I like MTV. I could do without “Say What Karaoke” and “Total Request Live” but I love watching videos in the morning while I do my crunches. Yes, it does seem that’s the only time of day they do play more than one video in a row. I am addicted to “The Real World”, I like a little “Road Rules” and their award shows.
Yes, I’m over 15. Way over.
“Well, I suppose someone must enjoy watching a bunch of nearly naked, inarticulate losers mutter pornographically to one another…”
No, you’re thinking of pro wrestling.
Here’s what I hate about MTV: it tries (and often does) impose its will on the music industry, as opposed to reflecting it (as it was intended to do). MTV decides what musical trends are “in.” MTV decides which singles and albums go to the top of the charts. All of the “most popular” artists are essentially MTV creations (Pearl Jam and DMB notwithstanding). I am absolutely convinced that Woodstock 99 was entirely organized and run by MTV (I know for a fact that 94 was). How do I know this?
In the beginning, the record companies ran the industry. Then, in the time between the emergence of Dylan and the emergence of the New Kids on the Block, the artists ran it. Now, a cable channel is running it.
The IQ of a group is equal to the IQ of the dumbest member divided by the number of people in the group.