In recent years, MTV has been taking more and more flack as they turn their programming from music videos to reality TV shows (a programming move that absolutely makes sense given the broad availability of music videos on YouTube). Music programming and artist development have taken a backseat to California “real life” high school drama and rich girls’ extravagant birthday parties.
However, in the past year or so, it seems as though MTV has been trying to move back to the forefront of promoting new artists, creating fresh shows and venues to preview artists on the rise… something that wasn’t necessarily happening on shows like “Next” and “Date My Mom”. Their “Artist of the Week” promos regularly give new artists (Santogold, Kate Nash, Minus the Bear) brief but constant exposure via a set of 30-second clips shown between MTV’s reality based programming (some of my favorites have been this one for Santogold featuring the rip-off band Santosilver as well as the entire series of Cobra Starship “Viva la Cobra!” clips).
These ads work two-fold as they promote artists on the rise while also reinforcing MTV as a music network (notice where the promos suggest you head at the end to check out the artists… ah yes, mtv.com). The way these original clips have been created makes them just as much ads for the network as they are for the artist, subtly reinforcing the witty, irreverent, young, coolness of the MTV brand. Even their current network promos which aren’t part of the “Artist of the Week” series have recently been featuring music from up-and-coming bands, giving the network that “Oh Wow, MTV was using this song long before it was cool…they must be on the forefront of music” factor.
Beyond all these promo spots, MTV has started doing a “songs from the show” segment during the credits of their reality TV programs, further attempting to solidify MTV as a brand based not just around youth culture but also around… dare I say it… music. Add to that the new series FNMTV and maybe, just maybe MTV will become, or at least once again seem like it really is, Music Television.
Preston Hershorn
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
History Channel Programming: Where Have You Gone Joe Dimaggio?
As a fanatical American History buff from age 4, I distinctly remember the moment when I could now watch 24 hours of the History Channel.
After each commercial break, my girlfriend would return to find me with the remote flicking back and forth between her Valerie Bertinelli movie and my Civil War weaponry program. (AHEM, we know which one was more interesting!)
When it became obvious that she was not my historical counterpart, I found myself watching late night programming about the landing at Normandy or Hitler’s final days when I should have been sleeping. “I’ll come to bed right after the Russians burn the body, honey!” (not that she understood that) But ahhh, those were great times as a viewer. However, they are history as well.
Sadly, I don’t find myself watching the History Channel as much. My seemingly repetitive WWII programming has been replaced by reality shows about arctic truckers and lumberjacks and dinosaurs. And as if nothing is sacred, they even took away the words “The” and “Channel.” As a marketer, I fully understand why they’re blurring the programming lines and bringing in reality shows which others seem to love (to record ratings, I might add)…but I miss my American Presidents, my tear-jerker veterans’ interviews, and the repeated discussions about General Longstreet’s alleged insubordination.
What about merging the shows? “See the Ice Road Truckers fighting with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy…hosted by Sen. Bob Dole & Big Bear Swenson?” More seriously, can they create a History Channel 2 that still shows neverending war footage and old talkies of Calvin Coolidge? (historical humor there). Can they afford original programming like HBO’s “John Adams?”
There’s an obvious reason my channel has been given a facelift: more viewership. And despite my love for all things Presidential and war-like, driving a cold-weather 16-wheeler is seemingly bringing in more advertising dollars. Which begs the question, what about the diehard history fans? Are we not as powerful a segment as I’d like to believe? And, if so, do we just find our history elsewhere? Do we slink back to our 27-disk DVD sets about Minesweepers of the South Pacific and Shelby Foote novels? For now, History (no “The” and no “Channel”) is evolving. Perhaps I need to as well.
Jeff Griffith
After each commercial break, my girlfriend would return to find me with the remote flicking back and forth between her Valerie Bertinelli movie and my Civil War weaponry program. (AHEM, we know which one was more interesting!)
When it became obvious that she was not my historical counterpart, I found myself watching late night programming about the landing at Normandy or Hitler’s final days when I should have been sleeping. “I’ll come to bed right after the Russians burn the body, honey!” (not that she understood that) But ahhh, those were great times as a viewer. However, they are history as well.
Sadly, I don’t find myself watching the History Channel as much. My seemingly repetitive WWII programming has been replaced by reality shows about arctic truckers and lumberjacks and dinosaurs. And as if nothing is sacred, they even took away the words “The” and “Channel.” As a marketer, I fully understand why they’re blurring the programming lines and bringing in reality shows which others seem to love (to record ratings, I might add)…but I miss my American Presidents, my tear-jerker veterans’ interviews, and the repeated discussions about General Longstreet’s alleged insubordination.
What about merging the shows? “See the Ice Road Truckers fighting with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy…hosted by Sen. Bob Dole & Big Bear Swenson?” More seriously, can they create a History Channel 2 that still shows neverending war footage and old talkies of Calvin Coolidge? (historical humor there). Can they afford original programming like HBO’s “John Adams?”
There’s an obvious reason my channel has been given a facelift: more viewership. And despite my love for all things Presidential and war-like, driving a cold-weather 16-wheeler is seemingly bringing in more advertising dollars. Which begs the question, what about the diehard history fans? Are we not as powerful a segment as I’d like to believe? And, if so, do we just find our history elsewhere? Do we slink back to our 27-disk DVD sets about Minesweepers of the South Pacific and Shelby Foote novels? For now, History (no “The” and no “Channel”) is evolving. Perhaps I need to as well.
Jeff Griffith
Welcome to Cable Marketing: The Jugular Perspective
Why a new blog on cable? Because no one out there focuses exclusively on the rapidly evolving world of cable marketing. We will. This is a group blog, written by different authors, offering a range of different perspectives. Who can you look forward to reading?
Jeff Griffith, the Creative Director of Jugular Advertising whose interests range from the Civil War to popular culture.
Preston Hershorn, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, who will bring the soft lens of a college student to the mix.
And me, Scott Lackey, the Strategic Director of Jugular Advertising. I’ll serve as an annoying editor and contributor, pushing for originality and evenhandness.
Guest contributors will come and go...bringing a fresh perspective to our little world here (want to volunteer, email me at slackey@jugularnyc.com).
So take a look at our first two entries…one on History (the cable channel) marketing by Jeff Griffith. And another post by Preston Hershorn (part 1 in a series looking at where MTV marketing has been and where it’s going). I’ll follow with a look at Marshall McLuhan 41 years after the Medium is the Message (yes, yes…for you loyalists out there I’ll reread the book).
Now… ladies and gentlemen…start your engines.
Scott Lackey
Jeff Griffith, the Creative Director of Jugular Advertising whose interests range from the Civil War to popular culture.
Preston Hershorn, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, who will bring the soft lens of a college student to the mix.
And me, Scott Lackey, the Strategic Director of Jugular Advertising. I’ll serve as an annoying editor and contributor, pushing for originality and evenhandness.
Guest contributors will come and go...bringing a fresh perspective to our little world here (want to volunteer, email me at slackey@jugularnyc.com).
So take a look at our first two entries…one on History (the cable channel) marketing by Jeff Griffith. And another post by Preston Hershorn (part 1 in a series looking at where MTV marketing has been and where it’s going). I’ll follow with a look at Marshall McLuhan 41 years after the Medium is the Message (yes, yes…for you loyalists out there I’ll reread the book).
Now… ladies and gentlemen…start your engines.
Scott Lackey
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