Today is August 1, 2006.  It is the Silver Anniversary of that icon of teen television, MTV.

MTV started at 12:15am Eastern Time in 1981, and is now 25 years old.  But to celebrate this fact, MTV has done absolutely nothing.

Considering the events on most other networks and shows when they pass such anniversaries, I find it amazing that the group that runs MTV now has decided to totally cut itself off from it's history.  Other then playing a couple of hours of music videos in the morning, they might as well drop the name MTV and switch to something more appropriate, like say MTV - "Mindless TV", or "Moronic TV".  There is no more music there.

I've never had the pleasure of seeing MTV, but I Can only imagine how bad it has become.  They shouldn't be allowed to call themselves MTV if they don't play Music Videos no more

MTV is a complete joke today.  They've decided to spend the entire day showing marathons of their really crappy reality shows (Which all happen to have the same exact plot, about Spoiled rich teenage brats living in Southern California and how we're supposed to care about their lives)

When I was a kid growing up in the Early to Mid 90's, MTV was the greatest thing ever in my eyes, and I just absolutely loved "Beavis & Butthead" from the day it aired

Now they've decided to cater only to teenage girls.  MTV has ruined Music today

Today is August 1, 2006.  It is the Silver Anniversary of that icon of teen television, MTV.

MTV started at 12:15am Eastern Time in 1981, and is now 25 years old.  But to celebrate this fact, MTV has done absolutely nothing.

Considering the events on most other networks and shows when they pass such anniversaries, I find it amazing that the group that runs MTV now has decided to totally cut itself off from it's history.  Other then playing a couple of hours of music videos in the morning, they might as well drop the name MTV and switch to something more appropriate, like say MTV - "Mindless TV", or "Moronic TV".  There is no more music there.
MTV are not celebrating the anniversary for they say that the television channel is older than some of the pop stars they feature and do not wish to embass them, feeble excuse. Today is a good day to show the best and memorable moments from the 25 years. As you have stated, I rarely see a pop video on the channel and I consider it to be a waste of time and energy.

MTV is a complete joke today.  They've decided to spend the entire day showing marathons of their really crappy reality shows (Which all happen to have the same exact plot, about Spoiled rich teenage brats living in Southern California and how we're supposed to care about their lives)

When I was a kid growing up in the Early to Mid 90's, MTV was the greatest thing ever in my eyes, and I just absolutely loved "Beavis & Butthead" from the day it aired

Now they've decided to cater only to teenage girls.  MTV has ruined Music today


Surprisingly, I never watched MTV much at all. But 1991 VH1 was pretty similar to c. 1985 MTV that I got a pretty good feel for what it was like then (in the early 90s I watched MTV a little bit, but overall wasn't into the more heavy metal/rap/grunge stuff they showed).

I did always like Beavis and Butthead, though. ;)


I remember in late 1999, they did do a Top 100 videos countdown, which I taped. They also did some 20th anniversary stuff in '01. I'm a little disappointed they didn't do anything for the 25th, but I can't say I'm surprised.

Surprisingly MTV in the UK are celebrating the 25th Anniversary!

MTV are not celebrating the anniversary for they say that the television channel is older than some of the pop stars they feature and do not wish to embass them, feeble excuse. Today is a good day to show the best and memorable moments from the 25 years. As you have stated, I rarely see a pop video on the channel and I consider it to be a waste of time and energy.


I remember in the late 1980's, all the network TV stations ran "50 Anniversary" specials.  They would dig some really old stuff out of the vaults, some of which nobody but my grandparents would remember (Jack LaLane, Sing Along with Mitch, etc).  NBC a few years ago ran a big 60th anniversary celebration, which went way back to some of their oldest footage.

They simply are not about Music anymore, and neither is VH1.  And I am not willing to pay my cable company another $40 a month just so I can see VH1-2 and MTV-2, where they still play music videos.

Surprisingly, I never watched MTV much at all. But 1991 VH1 was pretty similar to c. 1985 MTV that I got a pretty good feel for what it was like then (in the early 90s I watched MTV a little bit, but overall wasn't into the more heavy metal/rap/grunge stuff they showed).

I did always like Beavis and Butthead, though. ;)


I remember in late 1999, they did do a Top 100 videos countdown, which I taped. They also did some 20th anniversary stuff in '01. I'm a little disappointed they didn't do anything for the 25th, but I can't say I'm surprised.


Yeah, MTV used to do the "Top 100 Videos" each and every year from the Mid 80's till 1998 on New Years Eve counting down the Top 100 videos of the year.

Just finished on MTV in UK, the 100 Top Videos, with Madonna at positions 5th, 4th, and 1st.

I remember in the late 1980's, all the network TV stations ran "50 Anniversary" specials.  They would dig some really old stuff out of the vaults, some of which nobody but my grandparents would remember (Jack LaLane, Sing Along with Mitch, etc).  NBC a few years ago ran a big 60th anniversary celebration, which went way back to some of their oldest footage.

They simply are not about Music anymore, and neither is VH1.  And I am not willing to pay my cable company another $40 a month just so I can see VH1-2 and MTV-2, where they still play music videos.


I agree. I don't think we should have to pay money now to see videos, when 10 years ago that was not the case. Thank God for YouTube  :)

I agree. I don't think we should have to pay money now to see videos, when 10 years ago that was not the case. Thank God for YouTube  :)
Pop videos on the BBC can be limited, and are not usually shown all the way through, if shown at all.

I agree. I don't think we should have to pay money now to see videos, when 10 years ago that was not the case. Thank God for YouTube  :)


I found one great treasure last year at a Pawn Shop, and thnk I am going to pull it out and watch it.

It is a VHS of "MTV's Greatest Moments", and is 45 minutes of nothing but intros, skits, and video bits from their first 10 years.  In fact, watching it is like falling backwards into time.

This tape has it all, The original MTV Intro (man on the moon), Randee Of The Redwoods, Taxi Driver, Joe's Apartment, it even has the original Denis Leary bits (never use a drug named after a part of your own ass!).  There are no music videos on the tape, just MTV created bits they ran between shows.  And of course, all of the shots of singers and bands saying "I want my MTV!".

I remember in the late 1980's, all the network TV stations ran "50 Anniversary" specials.  They would dig some really old stuff out of the vaults, some of which nobody but my grandparents would remember (Jack LaLane, Sing Along with Mitch, etc).  NBC a few years ago ran a big 60th anniversary celebration, which went way back to some of their oldest footage.

They simply are not about Music anymore, and neither is VH1.  And I am not willing to pay my cable company another $40 a month just so I can see VH1-2 and MTV-2, where they still play music videos.




I don't think our digital cable bill is more than $90 a month and we get about 900 channels.

MTV is a disappointment has been for many a year, I never watch it anymore.. I don't know how many times its been said, but its really not Music Television at all.

--
Dave.

I'm sort of pissed MTV won't even acknowledge its own history anymore - the network has gone to hell.  I guess they think being 25 years old will turn off their 14-year old audience.  ::)

Wish they would have done a top 100 videos countdown or something similar.  Like said, these days, MTV is anything but Music Television.

Way to go MTV  ::)

I love how some of you are upset.  It's funny.

Actually, VH1 Classic just got done an hour ago, showing MTV's entire first day on air, including some clips of the VJs (Remember that guy with the pseudo-Afro? Mark Goodman ;D)

http://z.about.com/d/80music/1/0/9/6/mark-goodman-01.gif

And all of MTV's 25th anniversary stuff is on MTV.com (including their first hour onair -- complete with videos, VJ segments, the countdown to MTV, other segments, and even the original commericials!  :o I'll give them credit for that!)

Nickelodeon did the same thing for their 25th anirvaersary. Apparently, Nick was planning on showing their older programs (shows like "You Can't Do That on Television" and "Clarissa Explains It All") and they had to pull the idea quickly because nobody was watching; nobody remembered the shows... which I think is stupid. But Nick has come to their senses somewhat by doing their Nick Rewind Sundays and releasing the Nick Rewind DVDs. I was thinking MTV should do a rewind thing, too. Maybe every Friday, they show a 90-minute block of old videos as voted on by the fans at MTV.com, followed by TRL or something. But that might never happen.  :-\\

Happy 25th anniversary anyway, MTV.

Celebrated by the third volume of the Beavis & Butt-Head DVD set... and watching music videos on DVD


By the time I get VH1 Classic, it'll feature music videos from today  ::)  :P

Surprisingly, I never watched MTV much at all. But 1991 VH1 was pretty similar to c. 1985 MTV that I got a pretty good feel for what it was like then (in the early 90s I watched MTV a little bit, but overall wasn't into the more heavy metal/rap/grunge stuff they showed).

I did always like Beavis and Butthead, though. ;)


I remember in late 1999, they did do a Top 100 videos countdown, which I taped. They also did some 20th anniversary stuff in '01. I'm a little disappointed they didn't do anything for the 25th, but I can't say I'm surprised.



Yeah, I remember in 2001, they actually had quite a few shows dedicated to there 20th. Which is why i'm actually surprised they didnt do anything for there 25th. But I guess no one should really be surprised :-\\

I would have loved to have seen something today. I mean it was a vital piece of my youth (granted I'm five years older, but that's ok). I feel they didn't want to be reminded of how they screwed up the station now. MTV is a travesty now and it knows that.

Celebrating would've only reminded them of their past and no longer existing relevancy of the past.


I love how some of you are upset.  It's funny.


Hell yeah I'm upset, lol. I am turning 30 this year and I wanted to see something from my past. However, I'm relegated to watching VH1 classic b/c no one wanted to piss of the young'uns with their overexposed "reality" b.s.

The only ones MTV is embarrassing is themselves.  ::)

I've actually never seen MTV. We don't get it here.

Not that I care.  ;D

I've actually never seen MTV. We don't get it here.

Not that I care.  ;D



.. You're not missing out on anything thats for sure. 

--
Dave.

I don't think our digital cable bill is more than $90 a month and we get about 900 channels.


Do you have that Roadrunner Cable?

I found one great treasure last year at a Pawn Shop, and thnk I am going to pull it out and watch it.

It is a VHS of "MTV's Greatest Moments", and is 45 minutes of nothing but intros, skits, and video bits from their first 10 years.  In fact, watching it is like falling backwards into time.

This tape has it all, The original MTV Intro (man on the moon), Randee Of The Redwoods, Taxi Driver, Joe's Apartment, it even has the original Denis Leary bits (never use a drug named after a part of your own ass!).  There are no music videos on the tape, just MTV created bits they ran between shows.  And of course, all of the shots of singers and bands saying "I want my MTV!".


That would be really interesting to watch. I love rewatching old shows like that. A short while ago, I found a tape of a 2000 special by SNL of their 25th Anniversary show. It had a ton of old footage, with a lot of stuff that I grew up with.

Do you have that Roadrunner Cable?



Comcast. 

Comcast. 


Yes, we have Comcast and Astound as our choices. I currently have Astound, but it's basic cable.

Happy Anniversary MTV! It is just a shell of it's former self..but we have to keep in mind, they aren't doing anything differently now than they were doing at any time in the last 25 years. MTV has always catered to the young. It's youth's tastes that have changed over time. If say, in a  demographic shift,  teenagers  10 years from now suddenly showed interest in music videos, then MTV would show what they wanted. People who were teens from the early 80's to mid 90's or so, had that interest. Now MTV shows crappy reality shows because the ratings are telling them, that teens are watching them. They wouldn't show that programming if it was not being watched. Sad but true. Sure, maybe it's not truly Music Television any longer, but what is "music TV" to today's 15-year old is different from what today's 25, 35, or 45 year olds think.

Nickelodeon did the same thing for their 25th anirvaersary. Apparently, Nick was planning on showing their older programs (shows like "You Can't Do That on Television" and "Clarissa Explains It All") and they had to pull the idea quickly because nobody was watching; nobody remembered the shows... which I think is stupid.

I remember Nickelodeon only showing old programs an entire weekend for it's 20th anniversary in 1999 - IT WAS GREAT!

I didn't know they tried something similar for the 25th.

MTV's 20th anniversary was extremely exciting. I'm a sucker for old bumpers and Station IDs, so I was pretty surprised to find they were showing them during commercial break.

They did a little something on TRL though, a short montage of famous music videos that made their debut on MTV in the past 25 years. Boring.

Happy Anniversary MTV! It is just a shell of it's former self..but we have to keep in mind, they aren't doing anything differently now than they were doing at any time in the last 25 years. MTV has always catered to the young. It's youth's tastes that have changed over time. If say, in a  demographic shift,  teenagers  10 years from now suddenly showed interest in music videos, then MTV would show what they wanted. People who were teens from the early 80's to mid 90's or so, had that interest. Now MTV shows crappy reality shows because the ratings are telling them, that teens are watching them. They wouldn't show that programming if it was not being watched. Sad but true. Sure, maybe it's not truly Music Television any longer, but what is "music TV" to today's 15-year old is different from what today's 25, 35, or 45 year olds think.


I loved MTV the most in the early to mid 90s..  I don't know that last time I turned on MTV. Hell they didn't even care that they turned 25! I don't know what was on during the anniversary day, but I'm sure the newest reality show was probably on.

--
Dave.

vh1 classic is showing mtv day one, but mtv does show videos!!!!....you just have to be awake at midnight to 4 am in the morning ;D.....hey they can still call themselves MTV!!!the goodman v.j. just said..."we here at MTV show music videos all day everyday".....again, that was what we wanted..my teenage daughter today wants to see reality shows...that way she can learn all the latest curse words behind the bleeps :D

of course they choose to do nothing!  mtv has been nothing for years now!! i cant understand how they are even still on the air??  they dont show music videos anymore, they need to at least change their name!  to like,  reality crap that nobody cares about!

What has showing the homes of footballers to do with pop music?

of course they choose to do nothing!   mtv has been nothing for years now!! i cant understand how they are even still on the air??  they dont show music videos anymore, they need to at least change their name!  to like,   reality crap that nobody cares about!


Moronic Television

MTV: We're Not Known For Our Good Taste ::)

Moronic Television

MTV: We're Not Known For Our Good Taste ::)
  .......................................  and thats the saddest part of it!!  at one time pretty much all i watched on the tv WAS  mtv! :o

Me too. In 1983, I would play hooky from school and watch MTV all day long a little side of Scooby Doo.  Its a shame, that even VH1 (video hits 1) shows no videos.  And trust me, I don't care who Flavor Flav is dating.

It's funny though that MTV still has the video music awards show every year when they hardly play videos anymore.  ::)

It's funny though that MTV still has the video music awards show every year when they hardly play videos anymore.  ::)
I have noticed that MTV does still show vidoes in the early hours of the morning, but at that time of the day, personally speaking, I am uninterested in watching any form of tv at the time.

Me too. In 1983, I would play hooky from school and watch MTV all day long a little side of Scooby Doo.  Its a shame, that even VH1 (video hits 1) shows no videos.  And trust me, I don't care who Flavor Flav is dating.


   My kinda guy... ;)

   Woo!  Spent way too much time on the couch watching MTV.  Actually, those periods of comfortable nothingness were some of my finest moments...

I remember thinking 10 years ago that MTV hardly showed music videos anymore. At that time, TRL showed full videos instead of cutting them off halfway through or showing those annoying audience 'shout outs' during them, and they still showed video's in the afternoons and evening.

I thought it couldn't get any worse then, but I was very wrong :P

The thing with MTV is it's philosophy is not about the past or looking back, it's about the present looking into the future so an anniversary is probably going against that philosophy - even though it's 25 years old!

I watched MTV a little while back and wondered where all the music had gone. VH1 is heading in exactly the same direction.  :-\\

  I think MTV changed because the target demographic changed, that and, let's face it, at some point music videos became passé.  The same demographic that fueled MTV's popularity in the 80s is also responsible for it's change of programming: the 18 - 30 crowd.  According to GenX TV this was the crowd responsible for pushing MTV into it's present state...but not me.  I don't even watch it anymore...

  That crowd is now aging out of the consumption game (e.g. no longer the target market) so it's anybody's guess how it will change further...

  I think MTV changed because the target demographic changed, that and, let's face it, at some point music videos became passé.  The same demographic that fueled MTV's popularity in the 80s is also responsible for it's change of programming: the 18 - 30 crowd.  According to GenX TV this was the crowd responsible for pushing MTV into it's present state...but not me.  I don't even watch it anymore...

  That crowd is now aging out of the consumption game (e.g. no longer the target market) so it's anybody's guess how it will change further...



That true. MTV really started to change about 12 or so years ago, so that would fit right in the middle of that 18-30 demo. I do think that the demographic for MTV has started to change a little over the last couple of years though, because it seems like most of the people that watch it today are under 18.

^ Yeah, even though MTV was probably always at least somehat aimed at the youth crowd, it had alot of appeal outside its target audience (i.e. younger kids as well as older people). My parents watched it from time to time in the '80s, whereas I doubt many people over 16 or so would be into it now (and probably alot of THEM don't like it either, lol). I agree it really started becoming like it is today once TRL started cutting the videos short and splicing in the audience comments. That was when the music focus started drifting away, and both MTV and the original VH1 have been totally down the reality show/celebrity route since 2003.

^ Yeah, even though MTV was probably always at least somehat aimed at the youth crowd, it had alot of appeal outside its target audience (i.e. younger kids as well as older people). My parents watched it from time to time in the '80s, whereas I doubt many people over 16 or so would be into it now (and probably alot of THEM don't like it either, lol). I agree it really started becoming like it is today once TRL started cutting the videos short and splicing in the audience comments. That was when the music focus started drifting away, and both MTV and the original VH1 have been totally down the reality show/celebrity route since 2003.



Yeah, I've notice that too. MTV always seemed to be centered around the high school crowd, but back in the '80s it was able to draw in a much older age group, like even people into there 30's. Today's shows like "My Super Sweet 16" really don't attract viewers like that.

Has anyone else noticed that now MTV2 hardly ever shows music video's? It's gotten so bad now that even the channel that MTV set aside for just music video's doesn't even show them anymore :D

Even though I'm not past that 18-30 demo (I'm almost 26 now), I by far am not part of that group. And, I'm sure a lot of mid-20 somethings feel the same way. We're old enough to remember the days when MTV still had some dignity. 18 year olds are not quite old enough to remember that time. I'd say it's just stuck in a 15-20 year old demographic, but not really in there for someone heading into their 30's or who's already hit 30.

^ Ironically I've never seen ONE person of any age in the last few years who has praised MTV. Lots of kids on youtube in the comments section of old-school videos, seem to hate it too. I wonder if everyone who drives its success just likes it in secret or something, lol.

But yeah, it's become almost entirely a youth network probably since TRL took off in 1999. In the old days, there were older people who casually watched it. Now you'd probably never see that.

P.S. In the early '90s, I watched VH1 all the time and they were alot like the early-mid '80s MTV (just without edgier stuff like rap and heavy metal, and including newer songs), so I basically grew up with an equivalent. ;) So I can see exactly what people who were there for it originally are talking about when they talk about how downhill its gone.

2008 is the 25th anniversary of Disney Channel...and highly doubt they'll do anything  :P

Disney Channel seems to be exclusively for pre-teen girls now.  They don't even attempt to be more balanced out like they were pre-2000.

^ Ironically I've never seen ONE person of any age in the last few years who has praised MTV. Lots of kids on youtube in the comments section of old-school videos, seem to hate it too. I wonder if everyone who drives its success just likes it in secret or something, lol.

But yeah, it's become almost entirely a youth network probably since TRL took off in 1999. In the old days, there were older people who casually watched it. Now you'd probably never see that.

P.S. In the early '90s, I watched VH1 all the time and they were alot like the early-mid '80s MTV (just without edgier stuff like rap and heavy metal, and including newer songs), so I basically grew up with an equivalent. ;) So I can see exactly what people who were there for it originally are talking about when they talk about how downhill its gone.



Yeah, I don't really hear a whole lot of people praising it either, and I don't know anybody over the age of 18 or so that watches it anymore. If your a television network that isn't Nickelodeon or the like, and your only drawing in the middle school crowd, that's not a good thing.


Disney Channel seems to be exclusively for pre-teen girls now.  They don't even attempt to be more balanced out like they were pre-2000.



Yeah, I agree that the Disney channel is in pretty bad shape these days. About 95% of the programming on there sucks :(

Disney Channel seems to be exclusively for pre-teen girls now.  They don't even attempt to be more balanced out like they were pre-2000.
No more Donald Duck?

We have MTV Canada here and yeah, it does suck. All they show is reality shows 24/7. No wonder no one watches them anymore. Whatever happened to showing music videos? I mean, that is why they were created right? We also have MuchMusic and they are almost as bad, even though they do show more music videos but they are starting to go reality show crazy too. I don't know why everyone feels they have to show reality shows all the time. Almost all networks are doing this now.

MTV is absolutely aful now, I agree.  8-P I'm only fifteen, and I used to watch when I was about 13 or so, 'cause even then it was too bad. I only watch that channel MTV has where they play the OLD music videos. And none of my friends are into pop anymmore. It seems like all the young people tried to crawl underground to avoid the bubblegum.