Last week MTV Networks cut 5.5% of its workforce. While the deepest cuts were in affiliate sales and marketing, the channels MTV2, VH1 Classic and the now nixed MTV World had some significant blood loss.
It doesn't surprise me that two MTV channels that actually played music, MTV2 & VH1 Classic, were downsized. Instead of music, MTV is focusing on expanding college oriented MTVU and the latino oriented MTV Tr3s.
NYU's communications department drills into its students' heads that there is a contradictory dynamic that as the world goes global it also goes local. MTV's transitioning toward niche oriented channels is a perfect example of this trend.
Apparently, though, music is a little too global to be niche and thus successful. MTV has focused its brand on CULTURAL niches, not music. As much as I hate to admit it, their formula has worked beautifully. I am a reluctant fan of their fabulous reality programming, but there's a part of me that is itching for music.
My hope is that one day MTV will get this message and use their successful, entertaining formula for niche music channels that have programming that caters to the lifestyle and culture music creates, instead of the other way around. It would be an interesting take to see how, for example, indie music helps define hipsters.
Maybe once I graduate I can help set up the MTV Euro Pop channel and do a docu-soap on my obsession with "Dragostei Din Tei." But then again, that's just me.
melissah @ Wed, 02/21/2007 - 12:28am
Perhaps we can extend the theory that MTV music channels are not profitable because music itself is no longer profitable. Music videos, DVDs and CDs are not what really pay the bills, and concerts seem to act as pocket change for artists.
Instead, MTV's shows on "culture" can sell us, the public, a whole lot more. Showing a Jessica Simpson music video may or may not persuade me to buy her album or a magazine she's on. But Newlyweds could potentially sell me to her music, her clothing, her makeup, her car, the breed of dog she owns, her zipcode, etc.
I happen to avoid reality tv shows and television in general particularly because it is entrenched with advertisement. Now Americans believe advertisement is necessary for a functional media that can operate independently from the government, but that is only because the public is too lazy to push for media that looks out for society's well being.