How important is MTV these days

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A.� MTV is as important today as it has ever been, because it has encouraged the concept of mass marketing for music and youth culture.

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Q.� Is that a good thing

A.� That really depends on your point of view. There is a multi-million pound youth market that is perfectly tuned to the concept of MTV, and they ensure its continued growth and success. Detractors argue that a system of promotion that centres around a visual medium like video cannot necessary be healthy for music in general, and youth music in particular.

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Q.� So which is it

A.� Well, let's look at both sides of the argument. For record companies who wish to maximise profit and return on investment, MTV is a godsend. They can package and promote an artist or a style of music to a maximum number of potential consumers for a minimum outlay of time and effort. That's not to say that this is a god or bad way of selling music, but it is extremely profitable, and that's the core aspect of record companies' approach.

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Detractors argue that there are far more bands out there whose artistic validity is not contained by a three minute video, and they wouldn't produce such a marketing method even if they had the financial backing available, which plenty of them do not. Therefore, bands and artists who rely on their live performances to increase their fan base, and who are, shall we say 'less photogenic' than others, are at a distinct disadvantage in the MTV marketplace.

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Q.� Which are the artists who benefit from the MTV system

A.� Well, a look at the recent MTV Europe Awards winners pretty much reflects the type of music, and visual approach that MTV favours. Best Male Artist was Robbie Williams, and Best Female Artist was Jennifer Lopez, so you get the idea where the MTV fan base is. The Best Band And Album were both won by Limp Bizkit, who seem to have cornered the market in the 'less visual, but musically hip' arena that MTV is keen to foster in order to head�off criticism that it relies entirely on 'teenie appeal' for its output.

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Q.� Is the criticism of MTV fair

A.� Because of the sheer size and cultural impact of something like MTV, there is always going to be an element of criticism based on those two factors alone. Just because something is popular, and MTV is massively popular, doesn't mean it is automatically invalid in terms of taste and artistic merit. You can always accuse MTV of aiming at the lowest common denominator, and looking to maximise the youth appeal, but no-one created too much of a fuss when The Beatles did the exact same thing. There is a definite danger of musical snobbery creeping into the argument. Bands like 'N' Sync and artists like Britney Spears may merit their detractors' accusations that they are making 'disposable pop', but plenty of people like it, enjoy it, and buy it, and as long as there is a market for it, companies like MTV are going to show their videos and promote their sales, because that is their primary function.

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Q.� Should major TV exposure depend on having a flashy video

A.� Music and TV have always been uneasy bedfellows. It's simply not possible to convey the sheer impact and excitement of, say, a U2 concert through a standard TV set, into peoples' homes, and expect them to enjoy it as if they were there at the show. TV has never been able to achieve that objective, and the shrewd operators of companies like MTV realised that they would have to take a different approach. Music video is designed to provide a visual image of a band, and their particular sound, at one specific moment. It is a promotional instrument�- the original concept behind MTV was to promote songs and artists to music industry professionals. Not every musical style, or artists is suited to that kind of marketing image, but that is not MTV's fault.

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Q.� What are the pluses for MTV

A.� From a music industry point of view, MTV represents maximum exposure for minimum effort. An artist like Britney, or indeed U2 and Limp Bizkit, can enjoy continuous exposure of their music and image to their core audience while they can carry on creating their next album, or rehearse for their tour. For the fans, MTV represents a revolving smorgasbord of music, they can dip in and out, and explore further or not, as the mood takes them. Something that has grown to enjoy the impact and social importance that MTV has created over the last 20 years has to be doing something right.

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Andy Hughes