One of the many good things MTV has done since its arrival is serve as the voice of youth in today’s society. As a result of MTV’s success, the young people of America now have international platform on which to share their common voice. Demographic groups, such as African Americans had been socially silenced prior to MTV’s ability to market urban music. MTV has also contributed to the involvement of today’s youth with segments such as MTV News, in which young people get other young people to take interest in modern issues such as the environment, safe sex, racial tolerance, and AIDS. MTV has also played a big hand in promoting politics and the importance of voting and getting involved. Yet, even though MTV has and continues to make wonderful contributions such as those mentioned above, there is a fine line between good and bad.
The line between good and bad gets crossed when people do not realize that in the grand scheme of the media and its interactions with its audience, we as the public are merely “the consumer”. The only reason TV exists and is able to continue to exist is for advertising. If no companies wanted to advertise their goods and services during the Superbowl, do you think it would be televised? I would bet that half of the people who tuned in to watch the Superbowl only did so to see the ads. In order for networks, such as MTV, to make money, they need paid advertisements. The more viewers a network has, the more people want to advertise on that network, and the more people who want to advertise on their network, the more money they get. It is one big, never-ending cycle. Keeping the viewers “tuned in” is the key to a loyal following, and a loyal following leads to a loyal paycheck!
MTV starts to get ugly when much like soaps and movies, MTV creates a fantasy world for people to slip into 24/7 causing people to develop unhealthy para-social relationships. This escape becomes harmful when these idealisms that are portrayed on MTV become reality to the viewer. For example, popular music entertainer known as “Cisco” can be seen hosting some shows on MTV with his extremely attractive entourage of half dressed women known as his “six pack”. These images of luxury and fantasy could lead a young impressionable boy to believe that the only way to success is to be seen with a half-dressed, attractive woman. This might sound extreme, but extreme is what sells. The images that MTV portrays are implanted into the subconscious minds of today’s youth making them believe that they have to act, dress, and talk a certain way in order to be popular. This leads to serious depression and psychological issues later on down the road. MTV, at any given point, is trying to sell an image or product that without them and the sales they bring in, MTV would cease to exist. As sad as it is, it always comes back to the bottom line.
In conclusion, MTV is an extremely powerful and important source which on one hand has really made a difference in America’s youth, but on the other hand, is causing passive media consumption by hiding it within all the glitz and glamour that MTV brings. It is critical that we raise the bar for cultural and media awareness in today’s over consuming society. We as a society, whether young or old, should be more practical and in control of our decision making and less influenced in our product intake. Whether it be MTV, or any other television programming, we need to remember that we are in control of the media, the media is not in control of us. It all comes down to supply and demand. It we want it, they will give it to us. It is still possible to enjoy the entertainment of programs such as MTV, we just have to be smart and know the difference between fantasy and reality.