From: utzoo!decvax!genrad!linus!allegra!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxj!mhuxa!mhuxm!pyuxi!pyuxjj!rlr
Newsgroups: net.music
Title: Re: A Query on MTV
Article-I.D.: pyuxjj.469
Posted: Wed May 11 19:31:59 1983
Received: Sat May 14 02:07:06 1983
References: hpdb.129

Relay-Version:version B 2.10 gamma 4/3/83; site mhuxt.UUCP
Message-ID:<469@pyuxjj.UUCP>
Date:Wed, 11-May-83 19:31:59 EDT

I don't pay for cable TV (it hardly pays when all you have is a 12" B+W),
so I don't watch MTV regularly.  My friends that have it watch it sporadically.
If you're into the same repeated heavy metal all day long (how many
teenage boys with hairpieces on their chests does it take to impress a throng
of HM fans? ...), it might interest you.

Mind you, they are not anywhere near as "narrowcasted" as AOR radio stations
(should be BOR for business-oriented rock... or BORing for that matter).
I'm not sure whether this is because "new music" artists got more deeply
involved in video earlier than the AOR bandwagon-leapers, thus creating more
available new music video product, or because the programmers at MTV actually
like the stuff.  (Don't count on the latter; MTV honchos seem to be "record
industry" lackeys, wearing their slick satin MTV jackets---they'll play what
they're told to play)

They are guilty as charged, however, in terms of their avoiding anything
outside of the mainstream AOR/acceptable-new-wave styles.  No black music
at all (despite repeated attempts by black artists to push their video
product to MTV), no serious video/music artistry, nothing outside the
proscribed mainstream limitations. I get the feeling that the only reasons they
air "new wave" videos are: 1) someone told them it's "cool" (listen to the lack
of enthusiasm/knowledge that the VJ's have about this music), and 2) there's
more of /it/ around for them to air than anything else (unfortunately that's
no loner true, as mediocre acts and their clever managers figure what's in all
this for them---Billboard now lists the top 40 videos!!)

Interesting alternative to MTV---the USA network.  USA Night Flight has had
some pretty bizarre and interesting programming, including concerts (e.g.,
Devo) and extended artist-oriented programs (including the video work of the
Residents, which MTV has repeatedly refused to even look at).  They also
devote a weekly show to hardcore, for those who are into that sort of thing.

In summary, it sure looks like MTV is yet another example of mass media lowest
common denominator being shoved down our throats.  But it does have some
redeeming social value, in that they do play a fair amount of new and
interesting music videos from time to time.  If only we didn't have to sit
through all the garbage to see the one good one.		Rich