If there is one channel on TV that I cannot seem to skip over fast enough, it is MTV. This disgrace of a television network used to represent, in my opinion, one of the greatest ideas of the late 20th century.
MTV began in 1981 as a means to promote musicians and their music. Shows like TRL, where you could be submerged in American culture and music, have been replaced by shows like “Jersey Shore,” “My Super Sweet 16,” and “16 and Pregnant.” Unfortunately MTV will never again be what it was, and these reality TV shows are not entirely to blame.
Resources like YouTube are more efficient at allowing viewers to find the music videos they would like to see and allowing them to watch them repeatedly without commercial breaks or the hassle of going through all the other music videos first. However, that does not mean that there is no longer a spot for music on TV. MTV has captured the attention of millions of viewers; if only they were to refocus their programs on promoting music and a more morally minded culture, there could be an explosion of music as aspiring musicians gain recognition.
There is really nothing to be gained from shows like “Jersey Shore.” Yes, there is a guilty pleasure in watching fools running around fist-pumping and gorging themselves with protein, but at what cost are we allowing them airtime? USA Today reported in an online article that, following a recent $10,000 pay increase, the cast of “Jersey Shore” will now receive an annual compensation that is equal to or possibly greater than the average salaries of musicians in the Cleveland Orchestra.
Maybe I am alone, but this bothers me. MTV people, who have accomplished nothing other than making fools of themselves, are now making as much money as the hard-working professional musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra. Honestly, that’s ridiculous.
Then there are shows, like “My Super Sweet 16,” which glorify some of the most despicable behavior a teen can engage in, all while being viewed by people all over the country. Of course, there is the rebuttal that I hear too often, namely “I don’t act that way, and I don’t know anyone else who acts that way; it is just entertainment.”  Honestly, there is more to it than that. By putting this material on national television we are accepting it as a symbol of our culture. Though we may not feel that it is affecting us, by keeping it on the air we are accepting as common behavior actions that should be looked down upon.
Although MTV recently dropped the “Music Television” title from MTV, if it wants to continue exploiting pregnant teens and promoting selfish, materialistic behaviors, then it should, in fact, change its network name and meaning to something more appropriate, like RTV (Reality Television).