Nuts

In defence of MTV

sabine:

I’m playing devil’s advocate…

There are some rants that MTV showed 16 and Pregnant (which is indeed quality programming, the kind of which we have become to expect from MTV) instead of a Michael Jackson tribute.

But chances are, they didn’t have anything.

With celebrities who are old or dying, most stations and newsrooms will have obituaries ready and on hand. When I worked in television, we had obits ready for Ariel Sharon (who remains in a vegetative state) and Gerald Ford — for example. When people of note have illnesses, are old, stations are ready.

But with Michael Jackson, chances are MTV just wasn’t ready. They haven’t done any music-related programming in so long, they probably aren’t even prepared to run something the way a station like VH1 might be.

Go to mtv.com today, and you’ll see every single item is Jacko related. As “music television”, they clearly need to get their priorities straight and get back into music and not sexually-hyped teens.

MTV did have a tribute. Before 16 & Pregnant. Like, 4 hours of one.