MTV Take Notes

Dear Viacom,

These are the Jonas Brothers. 

They dress nicely. They behave well. They are role models to their fans. They dont advocate teenage sex. Their lyrics are clean and age appropriate. They are HUGELY popular in the United States and around the world. They are making Disney TONS of money. Your music and programming choices should be reflective of their marketing model. Watch them and take note. They are a trend you should follow. 

RAND Study Links Sexual TV Content and Teen Pregnancy

A new study released just this month from the RAND Corporation links viewing of sexual content on television to subsequent teen pregnancy. 

Translation: Teens who see lots of sex on TV are more likely to experience their own teen pregnancy. 

What a shocker! 

Viacom's very own pregnant teen:

Jamie Lynn Spears is one of the stars of Nickelodeon, which is Viacom's channel for children. She just had her first baby at 16. She's a child giving birth to her own child. 

The study's lead author states that: 

"Adolescents receive a considerable amount of information about sex through television and that programming typically does not highlight the risks and responsibilities of sex."

The study goes on to say that: 

"Our findings suggest that television may play a significant role in the high rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States."

Most important part of the study:

"The findings hold implications for broadcasters, parents, and health care providers."

MTV and Viacom need to realize they are influencers in our society. Right now they are influencing in a negative way. This needs to be stopped. 

Following The Money Case Study: Limp Bizkit

Limp Bizkit was completely the doings of MTV and Viacom. No one else can take credit for their success, which also means they get all the blame for Limp Bizkit's negative effect on America's youth. 

America first got to know Limp Bizkit at Woodstock 1999, which was covered by MTV.  They debuted their popular song "Break Stuff". Not only was this the main theme of the song, but it also caused the fans to take action themselves. 

Following their Woodstock appearance, they were discovered by Jimmy Iovine, Co-Chairman of Interscope Records. He claims his job is to just find what America's kids are craving and packages it to them. But instead, he is always searching for the rawest of raw materials to feed to children. I would say this is corrupting America. He claims its just a popular movement and he just wants to be a part of it. I say stand up for what's right and good for the world.

Then, when an Oregon radio station refused to play their raunchy lyrics, Interscope Records PAID the station to play the song 50 times! 

Limp Bizkit then produced a music video, all funded by Interscope Records of course. This video then premiered on MTV's Total Requests Live (TRL). 

Did I mention, Interscope Records is owned by Viacom, which is MTV's parent company as well. So when Interscope gets Bizkit's video on TRL to drive up sales, everyone benefits. MTV gets more viewers to watch the music video, and Interscope sells more records because viewers saw the band on TRL. Its all one big profit loop for Interscope, MTV, and ultimately Viacom. 

This also exposes MTV's fraud with TRL. That show was supposed to be based on what the viewers/listeners were requesting. This was obviously not the case because MTV is more focused on showing videos from artists under Viacom labels, than genuinely show what viewers want. Total fraud! (Side note: On Oct. 31, 2008 MTV announced their decision to cancel TRL)

MTV and Viacom are totally, one hundred percent behind this group, broadcasting their messages to America's youth. What are those messages? See for yourself... 

Sex... With Mom and Dad

Sex ... With Mom and Dad. This is of one of MTV's newest shows. When this title appeared on my TV guide I just about fainted. Sex? With Mom and Dad? The minute I saw this I felt a deep disappointment. This is where our country is going? I couldn't believe it. 

On MTV's website they describe it as a somewhat therapeutic show. A show where families can break down the walls that surround the topic of sex. A show that "proves that if families can talk about sex, they can talk about anything - ultimately breaking down barriers and improving relationships in the process". 

The one... Correction.... The only episode I watched was not as nice and wholesome as the description implies. 

The episode involved a 19-year-old guy who's mother felt his sex life was a bit excessive. The two of them visited the show's doctor, Dr. Drew, who gave them an exercise. 

The two of them were to go on a tour of all the places that her son had had sex. Her son proceeded to take his mother to all his favorite sex spots. Rooftops, the family's kitchen table, even the back seat of his mother's car! And at each location, the description of his activities was somewhat graphic. 

My question is how could the executives at MTV put a show like this on the air, when their target audience has shown to be 12-year-olds. 12-YEAR-OLDS!!!

Because of shows like this, I blame MTV and the executives at Viacom for overly sexualizing our youth culture. They should be ashamed of themselves. 

The Real Purpose

In a documentary titled The Merchants of Cool an NYU professor spells out exactly what MTV's strategy is. It's so manipulative it boarders on unethical. 

"The MTV machine doesn't listen carefully to children. When MTV revenues depend on being ahead of the curve, you have to listen, to know exactly what they want, exactly what they are thinking, so that you can give them exactly what you want them to have. Now that's an important distinction. The MTV machine doesn't listen to the young so it can make the young happier. It doesn't listen to the young so it can come up with startling new kinds of music, for example. The MTV machine tunes in so it can figure out how to pitch what Viacom has to sell"  

- Mark Crispin-Miller, Communications Professor NYU 

MTV Doesn't Influence ... Think Again

If you don't think MTV has too much of an impact on the young people watching it's programming, check this out: 

Here are just two of many studies that show MTV can influence the minds of it's viewers. 

One study done by M. Calfin, J. Carroll, and J. Schmidt (1993) shows that college students who were assigned to watch MTV developed more liberal attitudes toward premarital sex than their peers who did not watch MTV as part of the study. 

The second study done by L. Greeson and R. Williams (1986) found that seventh and ninth graders were more likely to approve of premarital sex after watching MTV for just one hour. 

These are disappointing conclusions. MTV has such a wide audience and such an influence on them, it's sad to see them exert their power on society in such a destructive way. 

When kids watch MTV they see attractive people enjoying sex and not suffering any negative consequences associated with sexual activity. By doing this, MTV is representing to teens that it's fun, enjoyable, and okay to have sex because there are no downsides. 

In showing their music videos MTV is showing glamorized alcohol, sex, violence, drugs, and weapons. These videos normalize this behavior. Show teens it's okay to behave like this. 

Someone needs to tell them it's NOT okay to do all these things. MTV and Viacom need to stop airing programming of this nature. And if they refuse, change the channel. You are in charge! 

My Super Sweet 16 Spoof

This man is dead-on accurate. I couldn't have described MTV's My Super Sweet 16 any better. 

It's absolutely disgusting how MTV and Viacom encourage this type of behavior among teens. Showing programs like this encourages viewers that it's okay to act like spoiled, self-centered brats. I don't see Viacom supporting shows about wealthy teens giving back to the community through service or volunteering. Maybe they should look into some of those, because unless they do, I will be taking my viewing eyes (their most coveted item) to another channel. Most likely Disney, because it's family friendly and appropriate for all ages. I encourage you to do the same. 

Viacom is Responsible for "Nipplegate"

I know everyone remembers it. The 2004 Super Bowl half-time show. 

This moment of national embarrassment was brought to you by your friends at Viacom. Please send your and your child's therapy bills to: 

Sumner Redstone

1515 Broadway

New York, NY 10036

Follow the Money

There are 5 major media conglomerates in the world right now:

News Corporation

Viacom

Disney

Vivendi Universal

AOL Time Warner

Each of these giants owns TV stations, cable channels, record labels, billboards, radio stations, magazines, book publishers, movie production companies, newspapers, etc... 

All of these companies are competing for your money. What results from this? 

"When you have a few gigantic trans-national corporations, each one loaded down with debt, competing madly for as much shelf space and brain space as they can take. They're going to do whatever they think works the fastest, and with the most people, which means that they will drag standards down".  

- Mark Crispin-Miller, Professor of Communications NYU. 

This quote could not be more true! There is one company, however, who is attempting to restore standards instead of bringing them down. Disney. They have taken the high, more mature road in upholding standards. They very carefully position themselves as a family network that is appropriate for all ages. I applaud them for this and ask that Viacom follow their example. 

Viacom, please do your part to make our world a better place. Create standards and limitations on what your MTV network broadcasts to America's youth.