MTV Essays (1396 words) - Viacom Media Networks, Television

MTV Everyone remembers Michael Jackson's red leather jacket covered with zippers and the sexy style of Madonna. MTV, or music television, nationally publicizes these images and entertainers, and others like them. The station also promotes an idealized teen lifestyle, reflecting the images of these famous artists, that contrasts with the realities of the Generation X lifestyle. While some view the station as "illustrated radio" or an entertainment network for viewers' pleasure, others more accurately assess it as an advertising enterprise that endorses products and promotes attitudes. The advertisements that are both hidden in videos and placed in regular slots, influence viewers. Whether or not MTV critics agree with these "messages" that the network sends out, it has become a huge franchise generating large profits and great popularity. During the 1980's, MTV grew from being strictly a music video station to an original, three-station network that became the choice of several generations of viewers and the advertisers who court them. MTV's entertainment, commercialism, and messages satisfy and influence many types of viewers, giving them a healthy sense of group identity. In 1981, MTV became one of the first stations to be able to appeal to such a populous audience as the twelve to twenty-four year old age group. The chief operating officer of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC) felt that there was "a body of young people being ignored," hence the company designed MTV (Denisoff 37). Although at first success was unpredictable, the MTV network fought off competition by such competitors as the powerful Turner Broadcasting System (Daspin 20). "There isn't room for two or three services doing the same thing," commented MTV's Bob Pittman (Hedegaard 38). Later, the MTV network came out with VH1, or Video Hits One, a music station for older viewers, and Nickelodeon, a children's service station (Daspin 19). These two stations and the original MTV station gave the network a station for an audience of just about any age, satisfying many advertisement agencies. Once the advertisement industry noticed the MTV network's popularity, it became a very desirable sales medium. Advertising agent Kevin Burns explains that "if you're a national advertiser and you buy teens, you're going to buy MTV" ("Viacom" 11). MTV appealed to its viewers by constantly televising popular singers and other role models. A music video endorses many nonmaterial items, as well as material items. Regular inter-program commercials usually promote brands of physical items. However, in music videos with popular singers, messages and images are promoted to the viewer. Videos increase an entertainer's popularity, thus promoting his/her record, producer, type of music, style of dance, and physical image. This popularity increases profit for many industries. The artist's record sales boom, benefiting the record company, the record stores, and any other person involved in the process of production. "MTV was dealing with the [record] labels, not the artists," states R. Serge Denisoff (154). In addition, clothing companies benefit when the singer wears their brand. Creative director Judy McGrath feels that MTV videos are "almost a subliminal fashion show," meaning that clothing brands and styles are introduced and publicized through music videos (Denisoff 258). Lastly, fine arts companies, specifically dance and music, increase in popularity as people wish to imitate the musicians. A perfect example of this advertising scenario is Michael Jackson's "Beat It" video. In the early 1980's the already popular pop singer came onto the screen wearing a red leather jacket and a sparkling glove. He introduced an ankle-flicking dance style that moved to the beat of his pop-style music. Soon children across America were wearing replicas of the clothes and "moon-walking" down the schools' hallways. In this scenario, Michael Jackson, pop music, red leather jackets, dancing, and Motown Records all became popular. With so many brands and agencies wanting to place their ads on MTV, the network itself needed to advertise its own information and existence in some way to increase its own profit. The network began to air animated segments after commercial breaks that endorsed the MTV logo. Then in 1989, the network issued "In The Bin," a newsletter designed to unite MTV, VH1, and retailers (Newman, "MTV Spreads" 55). The newsletter included advertisements and information about new developments in the MTV Network. These endorsements for the network get people interested in MTV. In 1984, Dire Straits' hit "Money For Nothing," had people around the country singing the verse, "I want my MTV." The lyrics of the song were satirical; they talked about the unfairness of being an MTV star. However, the singer wanted to experience similar stardom, where life was easy, or as Dire Straits sang, the