MTV News was the news production division of MTV. The service was available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network and an online news team. In 2016, MTV refreshed the MTV News brand to compete with the likes of BuzzFeed and Vice,[1] but by mid-2017 MTV News was significantly downsized due to cutbacks.

MTV News content was available from respective MTV websites, Apps, YouTube and on-air.

In November 2018, MTV News began producing daily updates on Twitter titled MTV News: You Need to Know.[2] Later titled MTV News Need to Know, the show has evolved to a digital series that covers trending topics from pop culture to social justice issues to electoral politics and beyond.

On May 9, 2023, it was announced that the division would close.[3]

History

MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week in Rock, hosted by long time Rolling Stone writer/music critic Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent. Since 1990, the opening riff to Megadeth's "Peace Sells" has been the main opening theme for The Week in Rock.

It first began covering political news in the 1992 American presidential elections, through its "Choose or Lose" campaign.[4][5] MTV continued to run "Choose or Lose" for other presidential elections in the United States. For the 2008 election, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton appeared on an MTV special to discuss the Iraq war.[6]

Throughout the 2000s, MTV News began publishing digital editorial content via their website, Twitter feed, YouTube channel and Facebook page, offering information about MTV programming and music/pop-culture news aggregation.[7] In November 2015, MTV introduced a new direction for its news department and hired Dan Fierman, former editorial director of Grantland, as MTV's editorial director and announced it would produce long-form journalism, think pieces and diversify its staff. However, in June 2017, MTV decided to restructure its news division with a greater focus on video, laying off much of their editorial staff.[8] Later years saw a dramatic decrease in content produced by the outlet for its website or other avenues.

The division faced downsizing in the 2000s and 2010s, and was shut down in May 2023.[3]

MTV News in the U.S.

Current and former correspondents

MTV News International

When MTV launched in Europe it used a variation of MTV News US reports with localized European reporting. Upon regionalization of MTV channels in 1997, MTV begun to localize presenters and reporting depending on the MTV region. Its flagship programming in Europe consisted of a daily news update MTV News Update and a weekly highlights show called MTV News Weekend Edition; these ceased airing in the early 2000s. With the move of MTV towards more reality based programming MTV News bulletins became a short news bulletin on the hours between 16:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday on some MTV channels.

As of July 2013, Viacom International Media Networks has launched a new news bulletin which utilises the existing MTV News UK broadcasts. These MTV News International bulletins air on the majority of MTV channels (with exception to MTV US, MTV Canada, MTV Italy, MTV Brazil, MTV Japan, MTV China and MTV Latin America) in the English language which are either dubbed or subtitled. During MTV News broadcasts viewers are directed to mtvnews.co.uk for further news updates. The news bulletins are presented by MTV UK presenters.

MTV Networks confirmed it would relaunch the MTV Brand and its content in mid-2016, MTV have yet to confirm whether this will impact on news broadcasts outside the US.[1]

By 2016, MTV News International was significantly reduced with news reports confined to social media and some localized MTV websites in the UK, the Benelux, Australia and New Zealand.

Former international presenters

References

  1. 1 2 Steinberg, Brian (February 11, 2016). "MTV News: Viacom and MTV Want To Revive News And Documentary Unit". Variety. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  2. ↑ Aycock, Jason (October 10, 2018). "Viacom expands Snap partnership, plans MTV News show for Twitter". Seeking Alpha.
  3. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie; White, Peter (May 9, 2023). "Paramount Division Run By Chris McCarthy Lays Off 25% Of Domestic Staff; MTV News Among Units Shut Down". Deadline.
  4. ↑ De Witt, Karen (February 8, 1992). "MTV Puts the Campaign on Fast Forward". The New York Times. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  5. ↑ Miller, Judith (October 11, 1992). "But Can You Dance to It?: MTV Turns to News". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  6. ↑ Guthrie, Marisa (March 17, 2008). "Clinton, Obama to Participate in MTV "Choose or Lose" Discussion". Broadcasting & Cable. New York City: Future US. Retrieved March 17, 2008.
  7. ↑ Steinberg, Brian (February 11, 2017). "Viacom Reboots MTV News in First Step Toward Reviving Network". Variety. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  8. ↑ Gensler, Andy (June 28, 2017). "MTV Restructuring News Department, Shifting to Emphasis on Video". Billboard. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
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