1. Case study on MTV and its audience
MTV is one of the leading music channels on cable and satellite
televisions that promote music videos and also broadcasts popular
up to date music. The channel was first aired in 1981 and
thefirstsong to be played was “video killed the radio star” by “The
Buggles”. The purpose for this channel was to play music videos
which still today it still does but also MTV air a wide range of
television programs as well such as reality and scripted television
programs for adults and older teens.
MTV has now influenced other music channels to air with certain genres such as “Kerrang” who aim
the genre as “rock, emo and scene”. It has also influenced spin of channels such as “MTV hits” and
“MTV2”. Now-a-days the type of music that you would find would be the newest music out right
now and also the top 40 songs of that week/month. Most of the music would be R&B or pop music
where as compared to older times when it first arose where it played more skater and indie music.
The MTV logo is one of the main features that bring audiences to their channel. The reason for this is
because in 1981, at 12:01 a.m., MTV launched images of the Apollo 11 launch followed by the
landing with the astronaut placing the American flag into the moon then the flag was replaced with
an MTV logo over the top of the flag and the theme music played in the background. Because this
has never been done before it had a huge hit on audiences. Now almost everyone can spot the MTV
logo and as time has progressed different styles of the logo have appeared and merchandise has got
to the market such as mugs, t-shirts and posters. These products all bring the audience back to
remember that MTV is “music television” and because of this awareness more audiences are viewing
their channels and are getting more hits than ever.
MTV has had a major influence in music because of the fact that it was one of the first music
channels around that spoke to an older teen/young adult audience by playing “the now” type of
music and if you wanted to keep up to date with music then “MTV” was the place to come. It has
been said that “When MTV came on the air at 12:01 A.M. on August 1, 1981, a dying popular music
industry with plummeting sales found new life.”. Because of the hits with audiences MTV is now on
nearly all basic cable TV packages across the United States. Now the world’s largest network, MTV
currently reaches over 300 million households worldwide. Other channels kind of looks up to MTV
and its music because from just a channel that played music it has now expanded its channels by
also showing dramas, documentaries, music news, fashion news, sports, sexuality etc.

2. From 1991 – 1997 The alternative music started hitting MTV. This was where bands such as Nirvana
showed of their music videos of “smells like teen spirit” and became so popular that this sort of
music got heavily promoted by “buzz bin” which was a select group of music that was classed as
cutting edge music of its time and aired frequently through MTV.
From 1997 – 1999 the hits of electronic and pop hit the MTV scene with bands such as TheProdigy
and Fat boy slim. These videos were hits and some still remain played today such as fat boy slims’s
“weapon of choice”. Nearer the late 1997 more pop music arose and bands like the spice girls and
the rise of boy bands became “the now” music.
From 1997 – 2004Rock crept back onto MTV with bands such as Blink 182 and “All the small things”
which brought people away from the typical pop and R&B and to new music. Limb Biscuit got air
time on MTV and they were a hit for the channel brings in more viewers of a different taste in music.
From 1998 – 2008 more different shows were shown such as more documentary but which linked
to the audiences such as documentaries on skateboarding and also other reality shows such as
Jackass. Also MTV aired news of the September 11 attacks that happened and got artists to speak to
camera for MTV viewers sending their condolences to people who had lost lives and to family who
had lost someone.
From2009 – present, MTV aired “MTV unplugged” where it shared live coverage and music videos
from more popular artist such as Katy Perry and paramour. From having more MTV channels
opening this then gave moregenres of music to be aired whilst still being MTV such as “MTV rock”
and “MTV pop”. This kept viewers on MTV but this then allowed the audience to choose their own
type of music.
Through the use of again television and merchandise MTV are able to
market themselves out to the public bringing in more of an audience.
Because of the different channels the audience for MTV can go all the
way from “pop” to “rock” or from “indie” to “scene”. Now because of
MTV being well known it has towered over all other channels and
statistics have shown that most teen’s ages 15-19 spend at least 30 mins
– 2hrs watching MTV meaning that MTV are bringing in the viewers.

3. The audience of MTV can be anyone, MTV has progressed so much that nowwhatevertype of music
you are into MTV has probably got that covered. But yes at times they show older music but again
MTV is all about “the now” music so from each genre of music will be the newest and hottest music.
Because of this the audience would be teens from about 15 – young adults of 24. Also because of
the television shows they show, the dramas and the documentaries anyone could watch them and
again the audience of what they show links to the audience of their music which would be 15 – 24.
From what I have found on the internet the audience of MTV is worldwide with
people all over the world watching and viewing the music of MTV. Because of
the world wide viewing MTV even have foreign MTV channels such as “MTV
españa”. These channels are just as popular in other country’s as it is in the UK
and U.S. Again the audience is mainly the same for other country’s as it is for
the UK and U.S as they show the now music for that certain country.
For my music video I am look at a song that has a folk/indie style to it in the sense that the
instruments used are very folk and also the feeling of the beat is quiet folk like but at the same time
this is supported with an aspect of indie with the acoustic guitar and solo singer. Therefore I feel that
if MTV were to promote the song on any of their channels then MTV would have to make an indie or
folk channel. The reason being is because most of the songs that are shown through MTV would be
that of the “now” music genre with TV channels such as MTV “hits” and “dance”. This would mean
that MTV would bring a new genre of music to people that aren’t as such into it. This could mean
that because of another channel more genres of music and their fans would come along but in
contrast some people might not bother with the channel and stick to the hits that they like.
Therefore MTV would show our song but only on the right channel designed for an indie/folk sound.
My music video relates to love, family and relationships between the two. To be specific two
brothers and one is dying. On MTV music channels you don’t see a lot of love songs or songs relating
to family. Therefore because of this reason our song wouldn’t be portrayed on the channel. But
looking from Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs my song would fit into the love/belonging section where
friendship, love and family is shown. Where as compared to MTV where there music could be any
range from Physiological section which you would find such songs about sex and drinking all the way
to self-actualization where the music video could be about morals and acceptance of what is going
on in the world.
From the popularity that MTV has gotten over the years and the audiences it has brought in MTV is
now a worldwide and well known company that shows that just from showing music then turning it
worldwide with millions of pounds to its name without music it wouldn’t be possible. Music is
everything now-a-days. You can’t go anywhere without hearing some sort of music and it’s because
of MTV that we, the viewing public, are able to access this music and enjoy it.