Putting the Music Back in MTV

How can MTV regain some of its lost relevance in the pop music world--and boost ratings--at a time when it’s playing fewer videos?

Play them more often.

At least that’s the theory behind the video channel’s recent decision to build a tighter playlist as part of a greater focus on music.

MTV over the next few months will introduce several new music-based shows while altering its prime-time lineup to include more video-based programs.

MTV, whose ratings have been flat for several years, believes that playing a smaller number of clips more frequently will have a longer lasting impact on viewers and prompt them to tune in more frequently.

“What we do play,” says Van Toffler, MTV general manager, “we can scream about on the air and let people get more familiar with the videos and the artists that created them.”

Toffler heard no screaming from record companies when he laid out his plans in a series of meetings last month. In fact, early reaction to the MTV move seems positive.

“If they’ve determined that this strategy is going to impact their ratings in a positive way,” says Morty Wiggins, senior vice president of marketing at A&M; Records, “how could any record company say this is bad for business? It’s got to be good.”

Marc Zimet, senior director of video promotion at Arista Records, is a little more skeptical, though still supportive.

“Your initial response is that it’s good in that the videos that are going to get played are going to get played a lot,” Zimet says of the new MTV policy. “The more impact you get [from videos], the better it is for record sales and the development of the act.

“But, of course, as a label you want to see as many of your acts as possible getting a shot on the channel. And it seems that fewer developing acts will get a shot, whereas in the past MTV has been a little quicker to push the button on developing acts.”

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MTV II: Will a tighter MTV playlist result in fewer videos being made as a matter of course?

“It’s an inevitable byproduct,” says Bill Bennett, president of Geffen Records. “Once labels begin to see videos piling up that didn’t offer marketing opportunities, you’d have to start wondering why you were making them. What I think you might see is fewer videos made, but on a larger scale.”

A&M;’s Wiggins isn’t so sure.

“Record companies have been talking about making fewer videos for quite a while,” he says. “Unfortunately, this is a weird business because you’re not dealing with inanimate objects such as cans of Coke. You’re dealing with real-life people with real-life egos who often want to see videos made for reasons other than genuine and bona fide marketing reasons.”

Linda Ingrisano, vice president of visual marketing for Capitol Records, says MTV’s move might force labels to continue to be more creative in promoting their acts.

“Labels are getting smarter about how to spend their promotional and marketing dollars,” she says. “And by smarter I mean not thinking that a video is going to be the end-all, or save the day.”