MTV will make a small but significant change in its logo. The M, the T, and of course the V will remain, but the channel will no longer include the words “music television” underneath. Those of us nostalgic for the early glory days – when one could actually catch the video for Glory Days on MTV – may complain about the death of music television, but will we really miss it?
When MTV first launched, shows like Yo MTV Raps and Headbanger’s Ball acted like radio on television – giving audiences a way to expand their music horizons and generating crossover appeal. As videos evolved, they became more involved and independent of the music they presented – short films set to music. There was always a reason to tune into MTV and watch hours of music programming: either you might find something new to listen to, or eventually you’re going to see your favorite funny or interesting mini-movie featuring some cool music.
Finding new music you like can be done on internet radio stations like Pandora. And if you really want to see music videos, YouTube or a plethora of other sites can serve that purpose. Music television has been erased not only from MTV’s logo, but from television. It’s a wise programming move – an extended block of music videos just isn’t useful programming anymore, unless it’s overnight or early morning. You can’t get money for nothing.
All that being said, there are some of us who latched onto our favorite bands, in part, because of interesting and innovative videos… like these:
Jim Eltringham 