MagneticMediaFed

MAX: Your attention span is, like, half a music video.

OTIS: There are many dull parts in the music video…
-Kicking and Screaming

While reading an article in Wired magazine about the slumping music industry, I started to think about television (that’s usually how things work, right?). The article initially discussed how 21 of the top-100 selling records of all time were produced between 1996 and 2000, and how this period of time was so ridiculously profitable for the music industry they actually thought this was the norm. Yes, sales have been down every year since N*Sync released “No Strings Attached,” but the decline isn’t so noticeable if you remove those last five years of the 90s from the equation. This raises an interesting question: why, exactly, were those years so damn HUGE for music.

My theory (glad you asked), is that music sales were driven almost exclusively by media synergy at its peak. More specifically: the late 90s juggernaut that was MTV. This, as most people my age would agree, is frequently referred to as “The time when MTV started to suck.” Of course, it didn’t suck for millions and millions of pre-tween girls who camped out in fromt of TRL [note: I almost typed URL, because I'm a total nerd] and quickly absorbed the endless barrage of videos, making-of-videos, behind-the-scenes-of-the-making-of-videos, and retrospectives-on-the-behind-the-scenes-the-making-of-the-video, all while hosted by the subjects of the videos in order to sell THE RECORDS. And everyone bought it. The brilliance, and what gets me back to my original point, is that MTV at the time (really, since they launched), where the number one purveyors of content for kids with A.D.D. MTV catered to an audience with short attention spans and used that clout to move units.

But then something happened: short attention span content (the content loved by the little ones — and many adults as well) jumped platforms. When the internet started to soar at the beginning of the century, it stole those viewers looking for quick fixes. In turn, MTV seemed to have completely (and ironically) given up on music. Now, they’re almost exclusively a “reality” network — and that makes sense. If you want to watch a three minute music video you turn to YouTube or iTunes or MySpace any of the myriad places one can turn if they crave short video content designed to sell records (many records, not specific records). Where you don’t go is MTV.

This echoes a larger trend in television: it is no longer a medium for the easily distracted. Television has become, strangely, a medium that demands attention. Shows are more involving and, dare I say, less passive. This is an evolution of the medium, and one we probably wouldn’t have expected ten years ago. BUT. If you’re easily distracted, why wouldn’t you spend your time clicking away on the web… not buying records en mass.

I’ve been trolling the internet for the past thirty minutes trying to find something to write about. I’ve watched no televsion since Monday, so I can’t fall back on the ol’ “Did you catch…” routine. Also, as much fun as it is to watch new shows and decide if they’ll become permanent fixtures in my lineup, it sure is a hell of a lot of work. Isn’t this suppose to be fun?

Anyway, TV Squad has pointed out that the MTV sketch show The State is FINALLY out for consumption. The catch is that it isn’t on DVD, but instead on iTunes. The first season is available now with future seasons to be added if interest is high.

For those who weren’t aware (and frankly, I’ve only seen two, maybe three, episodes of The State in my life — despite being able to quote it with suspicious accuracy), MTV aired The State in the early 90s (back when MTV was really really awesome). The cast is comprised of the members of Stella mixed with the cast of Reno 9-11, Wet Hot American Summer, and Comedy Central’s Viva Variety. It also coined the phrases, “I wanna dip my balls in it!” *AND* “I wanna go to the zoo and watch the monkeys DO it.”  I guess its a sketch show about characters who want to DO things.