I want my MTV! Or do I?

Music Television (MTV) started broadcasting in 1981 and went on to change the music industry around the world. By the second year of broadcasting, “I want my MTV!” became the advertising campaign slogan.

This simple advertising hook articulated the channel’s goal of a larger broadcast area but put it in the mouth of the intended viewer—a young rock and roll fan. People who did not have access to MTV but heard about it from friends or the media called their cable provider saying “I want my MTV.” Well-known rock artists like Billy Idol, Madonna, Stevie Nicks, and Mick Jagger appeared in commercials saying “I want my MTV.”

By 1985, the media conglomerate Viacom had bought the parent company of MTV and the programming moved away from 24/7 music videos to music pop culture news shows, and by the 1990s, reality shows like The Real World, 16 and Pregnant, Jersey Shore, and adult-themed animated shows like Beavis and Butt-headdominated the programming. Although the channel is still called MTV, it rarely shows music videos. The original sense of rebellion that MTV capitalized on had disappeared. The shared experience of being in the know, having seen the latest music video also disappeared.

Each summer, the United Kingdom shares a musical experience called the Proms. Started in 1895, the Proms (short for promenade concert) is a series of concerts that takes place across the U.K. and is broadcast on the taxpayer-supported BBC network. The Proms has become one of the largest shared experiences in the U.K., bringing the nation together over music. Sharing a musical experience can bring a community together, but first the community needs access.

To prepare for this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources.

For this Discussion, your Instructor will either assign groups to threads or direct you to choose one thread from the choices listed this week. If you are directed to choose a thread on your own, follow these instructions: Each thread is limited to a maximum number of students based on class size. A thread will close if the limit is reached. If a thread is closed to new posters, select from the open threads.

Thread B

Post by Day 4 a 250-word response in which you:

• Describe how much control production companies or/and governments have over access to popular culture.
• Explain the role of the web/technology in providing a shared popular culture experience. Analyze how access affects the shared experience.

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