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Criticism of MTVCensorship on MTV

MTV Networks

MTV is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.

At one time, MTV had a profound impact on the music industry and popular culture. Slogans such as "I want my MTV" and "MTV is here" became embedded in public thought, the concept of the VJ was popularized, the idea of a dedicated video-based outlet for music was introduced, and both artists and fans found a central location for music events, news, and promotion. MTV has also been referenced countless times in popular culture by musicians, other TV channels and shows, films, and books.

MTV has spawned numerous sister channels in the U.S. and affiliated channels internationally. MTV's moral influence on young people, including issues related to censorship and social activism, has been a subject of debate for years. MTV's choice to focus on non-music programming has also been contested relentlessly since the 1990s, demonstrating the channel's previous impact on popular culture.

Numerous events led to the debut of MTV: Music Television in 1981, which itself was remembered through reintroduction as a historic moment in music and popular culture. After MTV's debut, other networks took notice and launched similar projects.

MTV's pre-history began in 1977, when Warner Cable (a division of Warner Communications), and an ancestor of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment (WASEC) launched the first two-way interactive cable TV system, QUBE, in Columbus, Ohio. The QUBE system offered many specialized channels. One of these specialized channels was Sight On Sound, a music channel that featured concert footage and music oriented TV programs; with the interactive QUBE service, viewers could vote for their favorite songs and artists.