MTV Plans a Major Return to Music … What a Novel Concept (VIDEO)

MTV plans to put the MUSIC back in MTV …

As reported at the LA Times, What’s old is new: MTV plots a major return to music. Wow, imagine that, MTV finally realizes after a terrible past 25 years of programming that the “M” in MTV actually stands for music. I have to admit and I am about to date myself, I remember the very first day and song that MTV hit TV. How can you forget the music video, Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles. In 1981 it was a ground breaking event when a 24 hour music television was born. And yes, I had such a crush on Martha Quinn

Then MTV decided to go the way of the dodo and do everything and anything except music. They had an opportunity to ride the wave and they went the wrong direction. However, for MTV is probably too late and too much innovation has taken place since 1981, because just as Video killed the Radio star, the Internet and social media may have killed MTV.

MTV’s original show

For much of the modern era, the word music in the MTV acronym has been an afterthought, a vestige of an earlier time and identity.

That’s all about to change.

Under the guidance of new President Sean Atkins, the youth network is embarking on a redo that will put music at its center.

With ratings flat or down in a number of time periods, MTV is turning to songs as its savior. The network is prepping a new version of its classic “Unplugged”; a music competition show in the world of hip-hop produced by Mark Burnett; and an L.A.-set live-music series titled “Wonderland.” The last one is MTV’s first such program in about two decades.

Though much of the network’s success this century has come via nonscripted series with little connection to bands (“Jersey Shore,” “The Hills”)–and though original scripted programming remains the rage across much of the cable dial — MTV believes it will fare better by returning to its roots.

“The thing that kept coming back when I first started this job was, ‘Why doesn’t MTV do more music?” Atkins said in an interview. “Music is our muse, our spirit animal. And it’s a great muse to have. So we’re leaning into it.”

Buggles – Video killed the radio star