MTV has been steadily heading downhill for the past 4 years, with the largest drop of 28% in viewership last year. They’ve shifted programming interests to concentrate on materialism, cheap stunts, dating shows, superficiality, celebration of celebrity; I’m talking about “The Hills,” “Laguna Beach,” “Can I Come In,” “Real World,” “Road Rules,” and the show that will go down as my most hated show, “My Super Sweet Sixteen.” Yes, if anyone is at fault, it would be the channel themselves.

The channel has desperately been trying new and innovative things to revive its flailing brand.

But their track record with attempts is bordering abysmal as they’ve missed out over and over again. On YouTube. And MySpace. And music download store like iTunes. Plus, it couldn’t have helped that Justin Timberlake revealed Janet Jackson’s nipple to the entire world during a certain MTV produced Super Bowl halftime show, driving advertisers to leave the once golden temple of the youth of America.

You got to give them a bit of credit for trying though. In their latest attempt to revive the dying brand, they’ve moved to an entirely new location and are turning to Las Vegas to be that special place of renaissance. (they must not have been watching the news during the NBA All Star Weekend this past year…)

Instead of a central auditorium or concert hall, MTV will be broadcasting from all throughout the Palms Hotel & Casino rolling from the pool to Rain to their sports arena to separate suites in the hotel, where performances and announcements will be made. Before the show, people are able to go online to mtv.com and enter a virtual world, likened to Second Life, and browse through the suites and view virtual performances. Hmm… very cool, but Second Life and a slew of other sites do this already. So let’s try again, MTV.

Their final try at glory: embracing a bit of nostalgia, harkening back to the heyday of pop and TRL. I’m talking about Britney Spears, the boa constrictor around her body, and her infamous camel toe. Yes, Britney Spears is scheduled to perform at the MTV VMA’s.

This would have been a great move… 2 years ago. It’s unfortunate Britney’s image isn’t the hot, girl next door, untouchable icon she used to be back then. She’s done gone authentic trailer trash. Very public problems with child custody, crotch shots, debauchery, and lip-syncing…She’s a sinking tugboat trying to pull a sinking cruiseliner. They’re both fighting to stay afloat, trying…

Losers say they’ll try. Winners, now winners, are the ones who go home and fuck the prom queen.
Peace,
IsoGen