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
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