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Torontoist Doesn’t Want Our MTV
Torontoist had heard for a while that MTV Canada’s arrival was fast approaching which got us thinking about what MTV’s presence will mean for Canada’s own MuchMusic. Apparently, CTV is required to operate this station under a Talk TV license; therefore, more lifestyle programming and little focus on actual music and videos. So it would appear Much will keep its core audience and the two networks will have little to battle over. Right? Well, who knows? The impression Torontoist gets from watching MTV’s current “The drought is over” marketing campaign currently running on television is that they’re certainly looking to sway loyal Much viewers and are up for a bit of a fight.
Torontoist is sure that like most people of my generation the shaping of my adolescence is in large part due to MuchMusic. Those VJ crushes, new bands and sounds over the years that inspired new ideas, these are the things Torontoist happily remembers. We aspired to be punk, mod and prep while watching The Sex Pistols, Siouxsie Sue and New Order. Erica Ehm was the coolest girl on TV and Bill Welychka (pictured), long hair or short, he was the guy for me.
Since going to air in August 1984 much has changed at Much. VJs have come and gone, music is so many different things now, the format evolved and most recently a strong push on digital technologies which promises to be the real battle between the networks.
If MTV’s former success and slick new marketing is anything to believe, lets not forget their infinite budget, Torontoist is sure Much is definitely in for a good bruising. But we’re not convinced MTV is for me, we have no connection to it. We haven’t been friends these last 22 years like Much and I have. No, Torontoist would rather stick with Canada’s original music station. We don’t want our MTV.