Even though I'm not a huge fan of MTV, I am very aware of the power the network has on youth, young adults, and even on adult attitudes about young people. Advertisers run stylin', sexy commercials specifically geared to young people and not shown anywhere else. Young viewers in big cities and small towns from Kansas to Florida spend time at the Beach House or at Spring Break. From Michael Jackson's jangling jackets to Madonna's lace and gauze, from East Coast to West Coast rap, MTV has been a huge part of youth and pop culture. It seems strange to me that MTV features non-music programs like the Real World, Road Rules, and Singled Out that show people of every background and race dancing, dating, and living together, but they can't manage to integrate their own music video programming.
Techno music is the jam at dance clubs and is heard on the radio more regularly than rap.
And reggae artists like Shaggy and Patra aren't just for summer anymore. But MTV is on my fringe the same way I'm on theirs. If you ask me, I think they should just go ahead and turn the M in MTV upside down.