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I HATE MY MTV
By ADAM BUCKMAN

I can't think of one single thing MTV has ever done to earn the thanks of
anyone who isn't a member of *NSYNC.
To me, the network's contribution to our world over the last two decades has
been nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. A big goose egg.

On the eve of the network's 20th anniversary celebration tomorrow night, it
seems appropriate to point out that the only segments of mankind that have
benefited from the creation of MTV are the corporation that owns it and the
music-industry lowlifes with which it does business.

Anyone else would be hard- pressed to identify a portion of their lives that
has been improved by the advent of MTV.

Among those whose lives have definitely changed for the worst in the MTV era
are any artists over the age of 25 who don't happen to be pretty enough to
make the network's playlist.

Thanks to MTV, gone are the days when a gawky teen equipped only with a
guitar, a rebellious spirit and authentic musical ability could rise to the
top.

On today's MTV, Joey Ramone and Pete Townshend would likely be ineligible
for airplay.

And yet, the cable network loves to boast about its influence on youth,
citing the widespread adoption among its young viewers of the styles it
showcases on its programs and videos.

But when it's taken to task for the negative and, at times, downright
injurious influence of some of its shows - among them, "Beavis and
Butt-head," "Jackass" and others - MTV has a way of turning right around and
suddenly claiming it has no influence at all on the young people who watch
its programs.

When they're not patting themselves on the back for their role in persuading
millions of teens to pierce their eyebrows and bellybuttons, MTV execs can't
resist bragging about the part their network has played in the evolution of
pop music over the last 20 years.

The network seems to believe with all its heart that it has remained through
the years on the cutting edge in discovering and nurturing new musical
talent.

Well, I'm sure there is no shortage of new musical talent out there who
would be glad to refute that claim.

They will tell you that access to the MTV promotional machinery is available
only to mainstream acts backed by the world's most powerful entertainment
conglomerates. Why? Because the multimillion-dollar video revolution MTV
wrought has priced all but the groups sponsored by the biggest corporations
out of the market for exposure on MTV.

And how does MTV use its power as the gatekeeper of pop music?

It plays Eminem videos for months on end in the middle of the afternoon for
your pre-teen kids to absorb until they can't resist running out to the mall
to buy the Eminem CD with all the four-letter words that MTV bleeped out.

This is the youth culture that MTV brags it brought about and wants everyone
to join in celebrating tomorrow night.

You might ponder the quality of that culture the next time your 12-year-old
flashes you the middle finger.

        -Brian in Atlanta
         The Who This Month!
        http://members.home.net/cadyb/who.htm