TV Production Retools for the Digital Age
Author of this post: Nomi Altabef | About Blog Authors »
The online generation may still want their MTV, but they want it online, not on the boob tube. That’s the message sent by MTV’s recent layoffs of 250 TV employees and their plan to redirect those funds towards building their interactive media offerings. MTV head Judy McGrath issued a statement affirming their push towards digital media, saying “these moves are necessary to best align us for the future.” Online delivery of the MTV products, and the advertising that those products bring in, is being prioritized over the TV platform.
MTV has a young, demanding, new-media savvy demographic, so they have to be first on the bandwagon, but other networks are facing the same challenge, and moving in the same direction to offer viewers the user experience they demand. As a news-producer friend said to me last night, “fewer and fewer people want to sit down for the 6 O’clock news.” Digital designers and developers can rejoice about this, but those schooled in the pre-internet methods of production and delivery are scrambling to retool their skill-sets for the digital age.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
MTV might need to just go ahead and change their name, as the “TV” part becomes sooooo 20th century. I have a 12-year-old daughter and observing her and friends, you can see that they much prefer to surf and download to find their music rather than just sit and watch, when you can’t find music on MTV in the first place.
The TV is often on but its in the background, while they have 3 browsers open on the PC, playing self-selected videos in one while they’re meeting up in a Webkins room in another.
Meanwhile, Dad’s still amazed at being able to get all his old Police albums onto his iPod. Rock on.
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:37 pm
I WAS a product of the “I Want My MTV” generation, (I remember when ‘Downtown Julie Brown’ and Kennedy were VJ’s along with Rosie O’Donnell on VH1!) and have definitely noticed many changes on MTV/VH1 throughout the years.
What many networks are doing is enticing their viewers to visit their website and go beyond just watching TV. With internet voting and polls so popular online; younger generations can feel like they are “part” of MTV and that they have an actual impact. Although MTV has polls on their websites; they can encourage viewers to “vote” online for their favorite music videos, favorite artists, etc…and even advertise online contests (and announce winners on-air and online) on TV; encouarging teens to ‘be a part of’ the network and voice their opinions. Radio stations are currently doing this and it seems pretty effective. MTV does do this sometimes, but perhaps they need to encourage this interactivity at a greater level.
And broadcasting less ‘reality dating shows’ and more music videos would certainly help.
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Rachel Sokol
associate editor
Sessions.edu