Clayton Rosati’s article, MTV: 360° of the Industrial Production of Culture, is largely about the conditions under which culture is produced by media corporations for the purpose of accumulating global capital. The four most crucial aspects of the industrial production of culture are the “competitive consolidation of advertising platforms,… precise modes of data collection, market differentiation and more invasive methods of marketing.” The production of the annual MTV VMAs provide an application of all four of these aspects.
The worldwide promotion of studios and artists, through MTV as a platform to sell music, is the obvious purpose of the MTV VMAs. Similar to other award shows, the VMAs provide an opportunity to award to best in the music video business. The coveted moonman is simultaneously a measure of success for artists and a means of putting new artists on the map. Chance the Rapper, an unsigned artist, got his first VMA nomination this year and enjoying an increase in fan following and a sold out tour. The living room marketing of the VMAs, a free visual sampling of the best music out today and a glimpse of the artists that make it, broadcasted worldwide, does indeed “earn the adoration of millions” and makes MTV a “leading pop culture authority.”
To vote, viewers must visit the MTV website to vote, which provides MTV free, reliable and extensive data collection on viewer tastes and preferences. Viewers tell MTV what music on the radio they like best, which artists are the most popular, and who they anticipate will break into the industry. There is an “elaborate simultaneous targeting and production of both an audience and forms of already-popular media culture.” By combining the two pastimes that this population of youth love, by basically having a concert through your television on your couch, MTV differentiates itself in this market. Backed by extensive research and “cool-hunting” MTV gives us exactly what we want to see. This year, with performances by Beyonce and Rihanna, as well as appearances of Kanye and Drake, MTV hit the nail on the head. Of course, with ads on all Viacom subsidiaries before the event, Viacom generates a sizable audience for this event with invasive marketing techniques.
Ultimately, by employing these four concepts and other forms of capitalist media production, MTV gives viewers what they want with it’s 360 degree concept of full spectrum intelligence, feedback, and evaluation.
