MTV isn't making a big deal of it, but the network will turn 25 on Tuesday.
Believe it or not, when the music video cable channel was launched a quarter of a century ago, it literally changed the world.

Seems like the kind of thing any company would want to trumpet - loudly.

Not MTV.

But that's not to say it doesn't deserve credit.

For starters, it helped reinvigorate what was a sluggish music business in the early '80s.

As it grew in popularity, it boosted the careers of such folks as Carson Daly and Nick Lachey's current squeeze, Vanessa Minnillo.

And, with the launch of "The Real World" in 1992, MTV helped give life to the reality TV craze.

Uncharacteristically, though, MTV is letting the birthday slide by unnoticed. No big party, no on-air graphics - nothing.

Insiders say the birthday doesn't matter to its viewers, thus the lack of interest in discussing the milestone.

That also suggests that kids today care more about hot-tub happenings on "The Hills" than acknowledging the groundbreaking moment when MTV played "Video Killed the Radio Star." Or that they want to watch programming on computers, rather than learning about former VJ Martha Quinn.

That could be true. But there's probably something deeper to ignoring the 25th birthday than the audience's not caring.

For most of MTV's shows, the target audience is ages 12 to 24, meaning the network, if it was a viewer, is too old for its own programming. It's outside the demo, as they say in TV land, part of the audience that advertisers don't desire, don't pay for, but who watch anyway.

Being 25 to that crowd is like, well, being older than dirt.

And that's what VH1 is for.

In a way, MTV is a victim of its own success. The cable channel's foundation is built on being hipper and more happening than any other. As anyone who has watched in the past 25 years knows, that means younger.

MTV has had a dramatic impact on media - print and television - it shouldn't be afraid of touting. However, rather than point out the milestone - which would also include noting it's, um, advanced age - the birthday will pass faster than a William Hung music video.

Yet, by ignoring the birthday, MTV is acting like an aging starlet, shaving years off her résumé, fearing roles will dry up. That seems wrong for a network which has thrived, in part, because of its history - a history that will fuel its future.

Maybe Mick Jagger was right when he sang, "What a drag it is getting old."

they probably aren't making a big deal out of it because IT ISN'T THE SAME ANYMORE. It was THEE THING BACK THEN...not now...too many shows, reality shows, crap, garbage...Sweet 16 (pathetic spoiled rich little bitches) etc. WHERE IS THE MUSIC???

I remember watching it when it first debuted. What a big deal it was THEN!

Thanks for making me feel old.

I remember watching the very first day (all day) when it aired. Starting off with the one hit wonder video killed the radio star.

How the he** does 25 years go so fast?

i think this thread needs to be moved to the REALITY SHOW section...LOL

Martha Quinn, wherever you are, I still love you.

;)

i think this thread needs to be moved to the REALITY SHOW section...LOL

:rofl:

I used to never go a day without MTV! Now I don't watch it at all. I can't believe crappy reality shows replaced music! ohno:

I haven't watched MTV probably for 15 years.

I have about 14 tapes of videos I recorded from VH1 Classic. I managed to get some videos that MTV didn't even show back in the day. I'd like to get these transferred over onto DVD. Sadly VH1 Classic is starting to pull the crap by showing garbage like Grease, Dirty Dancing, and other bad non -music programming. How can these Viacom people not understand that people want MUSIC!!??

Here are the videos from MTV's first hour as played recently on VH1 Classic.

The Buggles- Video Killed The Radio Star
Pat Benatar- You Better Run
Rod Stewart- She Won't Dance
The Who- You Better You Better You Bet
Ph.D.- Little Suzi's On The Up (Very obscure new wave. Nice to see again after 25 years)
Cliff Richard- We Don't Talk Anymore
Pretenders- Brass In Pocket
Todd Rundgren- Time Heals
REO Speedwagon- Take It On The Run
Styx- Rockin' The Paradise
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters- When Things Go Wrong (Very obscure group and video)
Split Enz- History Never Repeats Itself
38 Special- Hold On Loosely

I haven't watched MTV probably for 15 years.

I have about 14 tapes of videos I recorded from VH1 Classic. I managed to get some videos that MTV didn't even show back in the day. I'd like to get these transferred over onto DVD. Sadly VH1 Classic is starting to pull the crap by showing crap like Grease, Dirty Dancing, and other bad programming. How can these Viacom people not understand that people want MUSIC!!??
Love your avatar...I HAVE THAT DVD!!!!!!!

Love your avatar...I HAVE THAT DVD!!!!!!!


I wish they would release the whole show. I never got a chance to see an episode with "The Freak" back then. I heard she was worse than Vera. The DVd is on my want list. I don't have it yet. We only had a few early years of Prisoner released in the states.

I wish they would release the whole show. I never got a chance to see an episode with "The Freak" back then. I heard she was worse than Vera. The DVd is on my want list. I don't have it yet. We only had a few early years of Prisoner released in the states.
I know. I want to see EVERY EPISODE, not choice episodes. Some of them aren't even choice. "The Freak"...yeah!!!!!:rofl: God this show was great!!!!

For banning Headbanger's Ball in the early 90's and forcing us to deal with that poseur Rikki Rachtman:


http://bestsmileys.com/shooting1/10.gifhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a1/Mtv_logo.png/50px-Mtv_logo.pnghttp://bestsmileys.com/shooting1/12.gif

"Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll." Those were the first words uttered on MTV on August 1, 1981 (YouTube clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agWDBsEbSZc)).

You know, the fact that the network has devolved into what it is now doesn't bother me as much as it just bums me out. MTV was really something special back then, but now it's E! for tweens. That's fine, I guess, because I have the choice not to watch it anymore (which I don't). But I really wish they'd stop calling it "Music Television."

As for the original VJs, Martha Quinn, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Nina Blackwood can all now be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 8. Sadly, J.J. Jackson passed away in 2004.

Eh vh1 classic is better now. :p

Its funny how MTV isn't making a big deal of it, but VH1 Classic is. They are devoting all of August 1 to airing the first day of MTV.

But I agree with the above poster who said VH1 classic is going downhill showing movies like Grease. I noticed they even show commericals now. I guess there is always "The Tube" if you want just music videos.

I used to love MTV from the start when I was a kid, but I don't watch it anymore.:( Happy anniversary!

Robert Pittman - the chap who started MTV - is the devil to me. His network helped the music industry promote style over substance, titillation over talent. It began the reality-show craze and made stars out of musically useless performers. :mad:

Now hold the blessed phone just one minute. What MTV turned into is nothing short of an abhorration I'll grant, but the basic premise was at least noble - a channel devoted to nothing but music and music videos. I believe the end of the "Real" MTV can be summarised in three words: The Real World.

It's not just MTV that has degraded...our whole society has:

Music is out of style!!
so is:
quality
Taste
tact
free time
good news
the constitution

Who knows who's to blame.


Let's be glad there's a station that is celebrating the 25th anniversary with 1st day footage.
I don't think we need the old MTV now. What would they play?

It not just MTV that has degraded...our whole society has:

Music is out of style!!
so is:
quality
Taste
tact
free time
good news
the constitution

Who knows who's to blame.


Well, I don't blame Robert Pittman for the degradation of the Constitution. :)

I don't blame him for the descreation of the flag, either. I won't even accuse him of desecrating Six Flags, which he ran after he got MTV up and running. :D

music is still good today. don't rely on the radio to show you what's hot today - granted I still prefer music from the early and mid 90s, some genre's are making a comeback and soudning just as good as before, if not better. you just have to look harder to find it, but it's there.

I'm sorry, and I know I'm in the minority, but I'll take current MTV over "classic MTV" any day of the week. Nothing about wall-to-wall music videos excites me AT ALL and I really, really do not like 80s music much at all, so anything other than that would be great to me. And I happen to love a lot of the current shows.

Happy 25th Anniversarry MTV

Happy 25th Anniversary

I'm sorry, and I know I'm in the minority, but I'll take current MTV over "classic MTV" any day of the week. Nothing about wall-to-wall music videos excites me AT ALL and I really, really do not like 80s music much at all, so anything other than that would be great to me. And I happen to love a lot of the current shows.

Yeah, but you're only 16. You've been groomed to like reality tv since you were old enough to walk over to a tv set (or more modern, punch buttons on the remote). You're too young to have experienced sitcoms and classic re-runs and niche cable channels (like MTV!) the way somebody in their late 20s or 30s or early 40s did.

I grew up on MTV where the "M" meant "music". Something like Road Rules and Real World were interesting and fun new concepts when they started in the early 90s, two shows, but it quickly got out of hand. Liquid Television and Beavis & Butthead were awesome "new concepts" too, a deviation from 24/7 pure music, but even those were drowned out by reality junk.

You've never actually experienced "classic MTV" because it was already over before you were even born.

There was also a challenge to music videos back then, who could top who. These days all you need is a computer geek with some CG software, and you have a spiffy looking video. Creativity and originality have largely been replaced by 1's and 0's. Something like The Cars "You Might Think" was groundbreaking stuff, and in terms of originality, there's not many things (even with CG) that I feel can top it.

Yeah, but you're only 16. You've been groomed to like reality tv since you were old enough to walk over to a tv set (or more modern, punch buttons on the remote). You're too young to have experienced sitcoms and classic re-runs and niche cable channels (like MTV!) the way somebody in their late 20s or 30s or early 40s did.

I grew up on MTV where the "M" meant "music". Something like Road Rules and Real World were interesting and fun new concepts when they started in the early 90s, two shows, but it quickly got out of hand. Liquid Television and Beavis & Butthead were awesome "new concepts" too, a deviation from 24/7 pure music, but even those were drowned out by reality junk.

You've never actually experienced "classic MTV" because it was already over before you were even born.

There was also a challenge to music videos back then, who could top who. These days all you need is a computer geek with some CG software, and you have a spiffy looking video. Creativity and originality have largely been replaced by 1's and 0's. Something like The Cars "You Might Think" was groundbreaking stuff, and in terms of originality, there's not many things (even with CG) that I feel can top it.Classic M=Music MTV baked!! :rock: Back 20 years ago, music videos were fun to watch, the chicks
were hot as they pranced and preened, kneeling in worship of the guitar gods shredding a righteous solo, it was great!!! One of the best things was to flip on MTV on a Saturday night to catch three hours of HEADBANGERS BALL!!! :rock: :rock: :rock: :rock:

It was the lamest thing when they took it off the air and put on all those stoopid "reality" shows and anything NOT related to music...:rolleyes:

MTV hardly ever shows music videos now. Only MTV Hits does that, but I think it's only available on digital cable services. But they do play music videos 24/7 there, I think.

The years 1981-1983 (maybe a little bit of 1984) was good because of the strange, unusual, and arty new wave artists.

The boring Top 40 artists starting taking over and then the pop/hair metal cane in. More nightmares like New Kids on the Block, Tiffany, and Debie Gibson starting taking over. Music sucked even before the 80s were over!

MTV used to play a lot of concerts!! I'm glad I still have stuff like Lone Justice, Gene Loves Jezebel, Eurogliders, Pretenders, Lene Lovich, Divinyls, Joan Jett, and more in concert. I need to get these transfered to DVD quickly along with many music videos.

The only good non-music show MTV has ever shown is Just Say Julie because she ragged on all of the pop stars.

You could nab several gems from 120 Minutes, but it was still a fake show catered to mall punks.

MTV used to play a lot of concerts!! I'm glad I still have stuff like Lone Justice, Gene Loves Jezebel, Eurogliders, Pretenders, Lene Lovich, Divinyls, Joan Jett, and more in concert. I need to get these transfered to DVD quickly along with many music videos.

The Eruogliders. . . . I always thought their song "Heaven" would sound better arranged for a treble-heavy acoustic guitar, but that's just me.

MTV as it is today? "I don't want to live in this place. . . . I'm searching for a better place. . . ." :lol:

Yeah, but you're only 16. You've been groomed to like reality tv since you were old enough to walk over to a tv set (or more modern, punch buttons on the remote). You're too young to have experienced sitcoms and classic re-runs and niche cable channels (like MTV!) the way somebody in their late 20s or 30s or early 40s did.

I grew up on MTV where the "M" meant "music". Something like Road Rules and Real World were interesting and fun new concepts when they started in the early 90s, two shows, but it quickly got out of hand. Liquid Television and Beavis & Butthead were awesome "new concepts" too, a deviation from 24/7 pure music, but even those were drowned out by reality junk.

You've never actually experienced "classic MTV" because it was already over before you were even born.

There was also a challenge to music videos back then, who could top who. These days all you need is a computer geek with some CG software, and you have a spiffy looking video. Creativity and originality have largely been replaced by 1's and 0's. Something like The Cars "You Might Think" was groundbreaking stuff, and in terms of originality, there's not many things (even with CG) that I feel can top it.
Well, actually, I really, really do not like reality TV, in general. I like MTV's reality shows because they don't take themselves seriously. And believe me, when I was sound enough to play with the TV remote, reality TV was definitely not the rage. I watched Nick at Nite and other reruns most of the time back then.

I didn't experience classic MTV, no, but I know the music of the era and i just. do. not. like. it. at. all, for the most part. There are plenty of songs from the time that I do love, but every one of those, there's a good ten or twenty that I don't like.

MTV is racist towards rappers and r&b singers. I never liked MTV anyway. The only reason why Michael Jackson, Prince, Lionel Richie's videos got played on MTV because their hit songs were pop and the songs appealed to white people. Only reason why Run DMC were the first rappers to get their videos played on MTV is because their Rock Box, King Of Rock, Walk This Way songs sounded pop and had rock and roll in them. F*ck MTV. I'm surprised MTV had Yo MTV Raps on the network. MTV decided to get a rap video show because they saw how much rap blew up back in the day and they decided to jump on the bandwagon and show rap videos because BET and The Box were showing rap videos.

25 Year's after MTV Debuted we now have MTV 2 witch is an awsome Channel

I really loved MTV back in the 80's & early 90's, now everything just seems to kid oriented. I do like to reality shows on there, the "Next Bus" & "Parental Control"

When was MTV not kid-oriented? I was sixteen when MTV first came on our cable system, less than a year after it premiered.

When was MTV not kid-oriented? I was sixteen when MTV first came on our cable system, less than a year after it premiered.I read in a Christian music magazine 20 years ago that MTV did what was called narrowcasting, the opposite of broadcasting, meaning that it strictly targeted a youth audience (demographic).


Hence, Duran Duran and A Flock of Seagulls.