MTV has managed for many years, to consistently be the “after-school getaway” teens canʼt get enough of. MTV covers all types of entertainment proving itʼs not just “music television” anymore.From the hottest stars in music, movies and television, to the craziest (and stupidest) reality shows youʼve ever seen – MTV has not yet failed young people. Years ago, “Total Request Live” was the hottest MTV show that pulled in the highest ratings. I guess after the “hottest host,” Carson Daly, threw in the TRL towel, the show lost many of its viewers.
MTV has recently moved onto bigger, better andfunnier things (with much hotter hosts). “Punkʼd,” MTVʼs biggest craze at present, is a series of practical jokes set on celebrities. Ashton Kutcher, the host and creator of the show, comes out to embarrass the celebrity by announcing “You got Punkʼd!” right before they lose their cool completely. The great thing about “Punkʼd” is that it lures in every age group and both genders.
MTV has created some shows that are solely aimed towards women like “Sorority Life,” and vice-versa with shows like “Pimp My Ride.” With recent shows such as “Punkʼd” and the never-ending cycle of spring breaks, MTV has covered both the masculine and feminine perspectives, which makes it much more enticing to watch.
Also, “Punkʼd” is one of the funnier shows airing on MTV right now and MTV has always been brilliant with comedy, featuring shows like “Beavis and Butthead,” “Sifl and Olly,” and “Viva La Bam.”
One thing that stands out about MTV is that in all this struggle to make it the “must watch” channel with shows young viewers absolutely canʼt miss, they seem to have forgotten all about the music. “Laguna Beach,” “Room Raiders,” and “Boiling Points” are examples of time slot fillers which take away from the airing of music videos by various artists.
The only real time you can catch any music videos not on the top ten TRL chart is around two or three in the morning. I guess MTV thinks they
have a solution to this problem by taking a bandʼs song and making a music video to it using video game graphics and technology in shows like “Video Mods.” No one that I know of actually likes or watches that show.
It seems drama and sex draw in more crowds than music and MTV just follows the call. Reality show after reality show- the public just canʼt seem to get enough. It all started with “The Osbournes,” who made their surreal family life a smash hit. Apparently, MTV canʼt get enough of the Simpson sisters either – Jessica and Nickʼs show “Newlyweds,” followed by her little sister Ashleeʼs boring, dayto- day life show. They werenʼt
very interesting and gave a new definition to the term “bad TV.”
Perhaps the only reality shows on MTV that are credible would be “True Life,” “Road Rules,” and “The Real World.” “True Life” actually tackles issues in our society and shows the public how things such as eating disorders, drug addictions and gang life really are. “Road Rules” and “The Real World” deserve credit for longevity – theyʼve managed to outlast almost every other TV series on MTV to date.
Though MTV makes some wrong choices here and there when it comes to quality television programs, they are aiming their channel at the younger generation through those in their mid-twenties.
They give the public what they want, a true crowd pleaser. Of course, other than the programs mentioned in this article, there are hundreds more that are aired and re-aired frequently and their airtimes can be
checked out at http://www.mtv.com.
MTV is what it has always been; itʼs the audience that has changed. MTV is still hip, still fun and outrageous, and still the number one television channel among young adults. I guess the old saying is still true, “I want my MTV!