Where's MTV & VH1?

Originally written on February 18, 2012

About 15 years ago, I was a faithful VH1 viewer- I actually preferred it over MTV because it was so heavily influenced by rap, hip hop, R&B, stuff that's not my taste while VH1 did. However, during my love affair with the Backstreet Boys I made an exception. On VH1, there was The List where musicians, actors, comedians would sit around with their favorite songs from whatever topic theme and then let the audience narrow down the top 3. Pop-Up Video, they have tried to revive it but I don't believe it lasted long so they reair classic pop-up videos. Behind the Music, I did watch almost religiously even about musicians I didn't care for! Occasionally they will re-air but it's been the same people over and over Metallica, Lil Wayne, Nelly, Usher, 50 Cent, Christina Aguilera...how about airing the episodes that I want to keep on tape? I'm missing the Lindsey Buckingham episode- I've seen it but never got a chance to record it. I kick myself- actually my mom should kick herself because, she was supposed to time record it for me but she didn't listen so...sigh...
Anyway, I can recall the time I stopped watching VH1 was around 2002. It was becoming more and more the E! channel with gossipy shows of who had the most expensive divorces to the cutest celebrity babies. Then there's MTV which started to change first by the first Big Brother type reality show with The Real World and then focusing all attention to hip-hop and hard core rock that can give you (me) a headache, then making it reality take over the channel. With both (formally) music channels, if you wanna watch music videos, you would have to be an insominiac night owl or early bird.

Today was Whitney Houston's funeral. Today, just prior to her funeral, both MTV & VH1 did an hour dpecial for Whitney. Then just when the funeral started, MTV started with Jersey Shore and VH1 aired The Blues Brothers movie. I remember when MTV aired INXS's Michael Hutchinson's funeral, and, just 2 and a half years ago, Michael Jackson. But today, MTV aired Jersey Shore. A reality TV show. Marathon. Ok, I will admit that I'm not Whitney's fan, but I can acknowledge that she did have an amazing voice and had great success till the mid-90s but she was still considered in high regard as an influence. Instead, CNN, BET, and E!, among a few others, aired Whitney's funeral.

Sad. Very sad. I hope both MTV and VH1 will eventually realize their mistake and hang their heads in shame.