Broadcasting & Cable's cover story this week is on MTV and its strategy around improving Nielsen ratings, which will include trying to win back young men:
The second prong in MTV's overhaul is focusing on underserved target demos. To achieve that, MTV executives are programming the new shows in time slots that had been light on original programming, including Sunday evenings and weekday-afternoon blocks of shows.
One of the problems, at least to advertisers, was a subtle (and unintentional) shift toward female demographics. MTV maintains that its target demo is simply young people, regardless of gender. While that may be true (MTV Networks has niche channels like Spike and VH1 to appeal to specific demos), many of the network's most notable hits in recent years have skewed female.
According to an audience composition analysis performed by advertising agency RPA covering September through December 2008, MTV was enormously successful in attracting young women. To be sure, the network drew more men than many of its counterparts, but not nearly as many as it did women. According to the analysis, females 12-34 comprised 48% of the MTV audience during that period. Males 12-34 made up just 22%.
To remedy the situation, the new Sunday night block, “See You Sunday,” features shows designed to appeal to young men. The programming, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, Nitro Circus, How's Your News? and The College Humor Show, were programmed together to create a destination for guys. “[We decided] if we focused on a few blocks, we could get a much higher density of young guys,” Friedman says. - read the full story on Broadcastingcable.com
Ah, the good old days…when MTV was about MUSIC!!!!
I really wish MTV showed music again. I am not a fan of reality TV.
I like Rob Dyrdek. I like his show, but I wouldn’t miss it if, you know, MTV wanted to close up shop. Seriously, 99.999% of the stuff on that network is garbage. Wasn’t there a show called Date My Mom? And that Room Raiders crap was terrible too.
Hmm…why don’t the just start focusing on MUSIC again?? I thought that’s what the M stood for? Seriously. If not they should change it to Rtv (reality TV). That seems to be all they show anymore…and other than say True Life, it’s all throw away junk. It’s pretty sad to see what’s happened to MTV.
Why did MTV abandoned music video for crapy reality shows?
Music videos would not pull sustainable ratings today, no matter what people would liek to think. Any video is available on-demand on the internet whenever you want.
Besides, they do have an all-vid channel, MTV Hits. How often do you watch it?
I’ve often wondred why doesn’t MTV take a chance with a heavily promoted “Videos only,” reality show crap, free weekor month. Have a premiere day for new videos. Bring the artists back in for mini interviews. Have new artists introduce older fave videos that influenced them. Surprise the newer acts by bringing in their idols to chat maybe jam together? Just to see how the ratings would fare? Could the ratings be any worse? Videos today are all the same so i don’t think they could just show newer videos. Would today’s sought after youthful demos watch recent newer videos AND older classic ones from the 80′s/90′s I kinda doubt it but I do wish the head honchos at MTV would somehow put the Music back in Music Telelvision. Do the youth of today even WATCH MTV like those of the past few decades? Maybe MTV is obsolete? Does MTV need to redefine its target audience? How much longer can the MTV Awards go on without the network playing the videos? They really need to rethink their brand/goal/focus. I want my MTV!!!
Chris is right.
I agree with Chris.
MTV stopped being relevant to the music industry a long time ago…
There’s no way MTV could ever be successful solely focusing on music.
Reality television is the only way to keep that channel alive in today’s world.
The more I think about it? Chris is correct. The MTV of “my” day is obsolete. It’s official, I’m old!!!
Personally, I can’t recall a time when MTV actually focused on the M, but that’s why MTV2 (esp. after acquiring The Box around 15 years ago) became a big deal. The only issue with MTV Hits is that it’s not widely available compared to 2.
I agree that music videos can’t pull the ratings they could back in the day, but what they’ve done with their programming is sheer laziness and it is reflected in their ratings. They could still create more shows focussed around music in some way. They’ve lost their identity.
MTV does play music. just not videos, there is always a form of music in every show they have on air. MTV needs a new hit, The Hills is over after this next season and The City might get better in Season 2. The Real World is okay, but need better ppl cast then these boring ppl.
Youtube > MTV.
All the music, all the drama, all the entertainment you need.
VH1 needs more New York, and BOOM! smash ratings!
i noticed that The Girls of Hedsor Hall is on saturdays at noon……..did the preimere episode do that bad in the ratings i cant find the number ANYWHERE (can anyone help)
Sam, it’s hard to say. It’s one of those things it aired like 13 times the first week it was on. However, in its first airing I’d have to say not great. At 9pm on 2/9 (I think its first airing) it did 538,000. it did a little better a few hours later at midnight ET with 545,000
What’s MTV?
MTV can’t just play music videos and expect to have stay in business. times have changed. People get their music and videos from the internet and I-tunes now. No one sits at home watching videos. There are channels like MTV2, and VH1 soul..etc that show nothing but videos and they barely register ratings. Someone mentioned having premieres and bringing on artists– MTV already tried that. TRL’s ratings dropped so low it was cancelled. Pete Wentz’s show with live performances didn’t do too well either from what I understand.
If you watch closely you will notice MTV slips music into its reality programming. The Hills and The City feature new songs by new artists all the time. MTV realizes that people need another draw besides videos and they’ve found a new way to deliver music by integrating it with other programs.