MTV – an “all encompassing mediator of popular culture” (Goodwin, 1992) or as the Washington Post once put it “perhaps the most influential single cultural product of the [eighties]” (McGrath 1996, p. 8). A trademark that has become a synonym for modern television, fast moving pictures and even a certain lifestyle. ‘MTV generation’, ‘MTV-like’, ‘I want my MTV’ etc. But MTV is more than entertainment for teenagers and music with colorful pictures around it – It is not only the world’s fastest growing network but also a powerful gatekeeper. Whoever makes it onto the playlist of the network can expect their CD sales to skyrocket and his concerts to be sold out. But the question is, is MTV giving everybody the same chance?
This research paper deals with the question of how black people are represented in the music programming of MTV. Although MTV today features more game, quiz and celebrity shows and less music videos than it did in the 1980s, it can still be considered ‘Music Television’ and has 50 different titles in rotation each week.
To find out more about the representation of African-Americans on MTV, the following hypotheses will be tested:
H1: The percentage of black artists on MTV’s playlist has increased significantly over the last decade with a particular strong increase in the middle of the 1990s.
H2: The percentage of other minorities (like Asians, Hispanics, etc.) in contrast has not increased over the last 10 years.
H3: The percentage of black artists on MTV’s playlist is higher in February (Black History Month) than in another random month.
In the first chapters, however, MTV’s history will be briefly examined as well as its role as a strong gatekeeper in the music industry. Additionally, the big controversy that took place in the early years of MTV, when several black artists protested the network’s “impenetrable racial barrier” (Idowu 1999, p. 41) will be talked about.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The History of MTV
3. MTV as a Powerful Gatekeeper
4. The Racism Debate of the 80s
5. Analysis of MTV’s playlist from 1989 to 1999
5.1 Methods
5.2 Results Hypothesis 1
5.3 Results Hypothesis 2
5.4 Results Hypothesis 3
6. Conclusion and Questions for Future Research
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this research is to investigate the representation of black artists within MTV's music programming over the course of a decade. The central research question examines whether the proportion of black artists has significantly increased and how this relates to MTV's role as a powerful cultural gatekeeper.
- The historical evolution of MTV and its influence on music industry standards.
- The socio-political context of the 1980s racism debates concerning MTV's playlist policies.
- Quantitative analysis of artist representation based on ethnicity from 1989 to 1999.
- The correlation between mainstream music trends, commercial success, and playlist inclusion.
Excerpt from the Book
3. MTV as a Powerful Gatekeeper
In today’s media landscape one can find a lot of different ways how music releases are advertised and promoted: In clubs, on the radio, in newspapers and magazines, in motion pictures or even on the Internet. Yet music videos still appear to be one of the most important, if not the single most important one of these different means (Banks 1996).
Nowadays it seems almost impossible to produce a music release that enters the top of the charts without promotion through music video. It is assumed that most musical products that sell many copies and therefore place in the charts have received airplay on MTV or other music channels. In contrast, "music clips not presented on major program services like MTV have limited value as a form of promotion and the careers of artists featured in these unseen videos may be stalled due to lack of media exposure" (Banks 1996, p. 173).
Recent research has furthermore proven that there is a clear correlation between musical genres featured heavily on music video channels and their presence in the record sales charts (Kaehler 1997).
This of course gives music networks such as MTV a lot of economic power due to their decision what kind of tracks to promote and how often to air them. Because of this powerful position in the music market, research about MTV and its playlist, its strategies and operations is absolutely necessary and important.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting MTV's role as an influential cultural mediator and outlining the three primary hypotheses regarding ethnic representation.
2. The History of MTV: This section provides a chronological overview of MTV’s inception, its expansion into international markets, and its rapid adoption of music trends like Hip Hop.
3. MTV as a Powerful Gatekeeper: This chapter analyzes the economic influence of music videos and explains how MTV’s playlist decisions significantly dictate the commercial success of musical artists.
4. The Racism Debate of the 80s: This chapter covers the historical controversies regarding the perceived exclusion of black artists from MTV and the network's subsequent policy adjustments under pressure.
5. Analysis of MTV’s playlist from 1989 to 1999: This core section details the methodology and presents the empirical findings regarding the representation of different ethnic groups over the specified ten-year period.
6. Conclusion and Questions for Future Research: This final chapter synthesizes the findings, reflecting on the increase of black music on the network while suggesting avenues for further academic investigation.
Keywords
MTV, African-American artists, Music Television, Gatekeeper, Playlist analysis, Hip Hop, Racism, Ethnic representation, Media research, Music industry, Cultural diversity, Chart success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how black artists are represented within the music programming of MTV and whether this representation has evolved over the decade between 1989 and 1999.
What are the key thematic areas addressed in this study?
Key themes include the historical role of MTV as a gatekeeper, the controversies regarding racial inclusivity, and the quantitative analysis of playlist composition regarding different ethnic groups.
What is the primary goal or research question?
The primary goal is to determine if the percentage of black artists on MTV's playlist increased significantly over the last decade and whether other minority groups saw similar growth.
Which scientific method is employed?
The author utilizes a quantitative content analysis of Billboard Magazine's 'Clip List' data for January and February of the years 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the history of MTV, the critical 1980s race debate, a detailed analysis of three specific hypotheses, and the commercial factors influencing playlist curation.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The study is characterized by terms such as MTV, ethnic representation, media gatekeeping, playlist analysis, and the commercialization of Hip Hop and R&B music.
Did the analysis confirm that Black History Month influences MTV's playlist?
No, the research found no significant difference in the percentage of black artists played during February compared to other months, suggesting the network does not specifically account for Black History Month.
How does the author interpret the growth of black music on MTV?
The author views the drastic increase in black music as a commercial reaction to the mainstream success of Hip Hop and R&B, rather than a deliberate move toward promoting multicultural diversity.
- Quote paper
- Christoph Koch (Author), 1999, Affirmative action on the playlist - An analysis of the representation of African-Americans on MTV, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/3943
