MTV : Friday

MTV launched just after midnight on August 1, 1981. The first video on the channel was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. At first, MTV used video disc jockeys, or veejays, who introduced music videos and talked casually between them. Music companies sent their videos to MTV for free, so the channel was cheap to run. Some companies did not believe MTV would help them, but by 1984 they understood MTV was very important and began to spend more money on video production.

Even though MTV had a strong beginning, the channel had problems in its early years. There were not many videos, so they had to repeat the same ones often. Also, cable television was still expensive, and not many families had it. Later, when MTV added more artists and different music styles, the channel became more popular. Videos like Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” showed how powerful music videos could be, and many artists became famous because MTV played their videos.

MTV changed television in a new way. It was the first channel to show music videos all day and all night. It created a place for young people to watch their favorite artists. MTV became a leader in music video culture in the United States and around the world. For many young people, MTV was more than a channel—it represented their style, their ideas, and their identity.

The channel helped new artists like Madonna and Duran Duran, and it also made older artists popular again. By the mid-1980s, MTV had a strong influence on movies, commercials, and fashion. Looking interesting on MTV became almost as important as singing well.

Years later, MTV changed again and became famous for its reality shows. The Real World (1992) brought strangers together in one house. The Osbournes (2002) showed a famous family’s daily life. Jersey Shore (2009) became extremely popular, and in 2012 a Spanish version called Gandía Shore also became a success.

However, in 2024 MTV UK closed permanently. Many long-time viewers felt sad because MTV UK had been an important part of British youth culture since 1997. But over the years, MTV stopped showing live music and played constant reruns of reality shows. At the same time, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram changed how people discover music. MTV, once a symbol of innovation, could not keep up with the digital age.

Even though MTV UK is gone, we still see its influence today in fashion, social media, and modern music videos. MTV changed pop culture forever, and many people still feel nostalgic when they think about it.

1.VOCABULARY MATCH

  1. permanently —  started for the first time 

  2. innovation — to look back warmly at the past

  3. reruns — something that changes things in a new way

  4. identity — again and again; repeated

  5. nostalgic — the qualities that make a person who they are

  6. extremely — not for a short time; forever

  7. influence — showing strong effect on something

  8. production — very, very much

  9. culture — the process of making or creating something

  10. popular — TV programs shown again

  11.  Debuted — liked by many people

  12. entertaining — things such as music, art, and traditions of a group


2.SYNONYM MATCH 

  2. popular — character

  3. influence — enjoyable

  4. innovative — very

  5. extremely — sentimental / remembering the past

  6. permanently — effect

  7. production — famous

  8. identity — making

  9. nostalgic — traditions

  10. powerful — creative

  11. entertaining — forever

  12. culture — strong

3.“Museum of Lost Youth Technology”

 Instructions

Scenario:
You work in a museum called The Museum of Lost Youth Technology. Your job is to explain old technology that young people today don’t know.

Step 1 — Choose Your Role

  • Video rental curator

  • CD / Cassette curator

  • Early mobile phone curator

  • MSN Messenger historian

  • Handwritten letter archivist

  • MySpace sociologist

  • Walkman / MP3 curator

  • Arcade curator

  • Etch A Sketch curator

  • Rubik’s Cube curator

Step 2 — Prepare a short B1 explanation

Include:

  1. What it was

  2. Why it was important

  3. What replaced it today

  4. A personal memory

  5. Explain it as if the audience has never seen it

Step 3 — The Grand Opening Tour

One student is the guide. Others are curators.
Visitors ask simple challenge questions like:

  • “Would people today use this?”

  • “Is it better than modern technology?”

  • “Why do you miss it?”

4.Role-Plays

-Role Play A – “The Day MTV Debuted (1981)”

Characters:
Alex – A teenager obsessed with music and excited about the new channel MTV.
Jordan – A skeptical friend and a music purist who thinks TV shouldn’t replace radio. 

Script Starter:
Alex: Did you see it? MTV started last night! They played “Video Killed the Radio Star” as the first video.
Jordan: I don’t get the hype. Why do we need music videos? Isn’t listening enough?
Alex: But it’s revolutionary! You can see the artists, their style, their energy.
Jordan: I think it’s just a marketing tool used to sell more albums and make more money! MTV will disappear in a year. Also, music is about the sound, not the style and visuals  !  All I need is the music, maaaaan  !
→ Students continue the dialogue, expand on the argument, and create their own ending.

-Role-Play B – “A Conversation in the 1990s: The Rise of Reality TV”

Characters:
Laura – Thinks MTV’s new reality shows are groundbreaking.
Pablo – Misses the old MTV that focused on music videos.

Script Starter:
Laura: Have you watched Gandia Shore? It’s so addictive! MTV is completely reinventing TV !
Pablo: Honestly, I miss when MTV actually played music. Now it’s all drama and strangers arguing.
Laura: But it’s fun! And it feels more real than scripted shows.
Pablo: It’s just replacing music with chaos and garbage  ! 
→ Students continue the dialogue and debate the rise of reality TV.

Role-Play C – “MTV UK Is Closing: Two Friends React (2024)”

Characters:
Sam – Devastated, full of nostalgia.
Ellie – Thinks it doesn’t matter because streaming replaced it.

Script Starter:
Sam: I can’t believe MTV UK is shutting down. It feels like losing a part of my youth.
Ellie: I get it… but weren’t they just showing reruns of reality shows?
Sam: Maybe, but MTV used to be a landmark for youth culture.
Ellie: Times change. People discover music on TikTok now.
→ Students continue, sharing memories, arguing about nostalgia, and predicting the future.

-Role-Play D – “A Teenager From 1985 Meets a Teenager From 2024”

Characters:
Megan (1985) – Loves MTV and thinks it defines her generation.
Rory (2024) – Discovers music through YouTube, TikTok and AI playlists.

Script Starter:
Megan: You should see the new Madonna video! MTV plays it every hour. It’s iconic.
Rory: Wait… you mean you had to watch a TV channel at a specific time to see a video?
Megan: Of course! That’s what made it exciting!
Rory: I just search for a song and watch it instantly.
→ Students continue, comparing youth culture, technology, and who had it better.

-Role-Play E – “The Last Remaining Video Rental Store”

(Nostalgia Tie-In)
Characters:
Owner – Trying to keep the business alive.
Customer – Wonders why video rental stores still exist.

Script Starter:
Owner: Welcome! We still have the classics—VHS, DVDs, even old MTV concert recordings.
Customer: Wow. I haven’t rented a movie in years. I just stream everything now.
Owner: Streaming can’t replace the magic of choosing a movie in person.
Customer: Maybe… but convenience wins.
→ Students continue, discussing nostalgia vs. modern technology.

5. Discussion Questions

  1. How do music videos change the way we enjoy a song?

  2. How has social media changed the relationship between artists and fans?

  3. Do young people today need a shared space like MTV? Why or why not?

  4. If MTV returned today, what would it need to include?

  5. Are artists’ looks and style as important as their music today? Is this good or bad?

  6. Why do you think reality TV became so popular?

  7. Is nostalgia important when we think about old media? Give an example.

  8. How has streaming changed the way people discover new music?

  9. Do media platforms influence youth identity? How?

  10. Could MTV ever become powerful again? Why or why not?

  11. Why was MTV UK important for youth culture?

  12. How did digital platforms lead to MTV UK’s decline?

  13. In what way was MTV a “collective memory”?

  14. Can streaming give us the same shared experience MTV gave? Why or why not?

  15. What MTV styles or ideas can we still see today?


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