MTV, where has the music gone?

MTV, the acronym for Music Television was launched in 1981 with the primary objective to play music videos. It began with music being its main focus but today MTV features more reality shows than probably any other network and almost no trace of music. Since the beginning, MTV has revolutionized the music industry. It has made it possible for new musicians to become household names such as the legendary Michael Jackson. TRL or Total Request Live started in 1998 at its Times Square studio and continues to run over 10 years later. In 1999, the show introduced a live studio audience which I been a part of numerous times. Tickets for TRL are free; all you have to do is request them. Being a part of the audience is a fun experience. I’ve gone about 4 times and you get to see what goes on behind the scenes and see the VJ’s and the celebrities. I’ve met Mariah Carey, Christina Milian, Ciara, my personal favorite Chad Michael Murray and others. TRL is now almost the only show on MTV that is about music, but even with its top 10 video countdown only about a minute of each video is shown. Nowadays MTV consists of a variety of reality shows. Its most famous has to be MTV’s The Real World. First broadcast in 1992, The Real World is the longest running program MTV has had to date and is now about to enter its 20th season in Hollywood. While most of the reality shows on MTV such as The Real World, The Hills, Laguna Beach, Made, Life of Ryan, and True Life are some of my favorite shows to watch MTV sure is lacking in the music department. With the name of the network being Music Television I think music needs to be put back into the picture and hopefully as time goes on it will be.