MTVs

MTVs, or MTVs, refer to a family of television networks branded MTV that focus on music and youth‑oriented programming. The first channel in the United States was launched on August 1, 1981, by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company as part of MTV Networks. The channel popularized music videos and introduced video jockeys, or VJs, who hosted programs and presented videos. The debut video was the Buggles’ Video Killed the Radio Star.

Over the 1980s and 1990s, MTV expanded to international markets, creating regional networks such as MTV Europe (1987) and MTV Asia (1994), as well as MTV Latin America, MTV Canada, and MTV India. Regional variants typically localize programming while maintaining blocks of music videos, countdown shows, and VJ-hosted segments.

In the 1990s and 2000s, MTV shifted toward reality and lifestyle programming, with series such as The Real World (1992) and later Jersey Shore. The network also featured MTV News, MTV Unplugged, and audience-driven formats like Total Request Live (TRL), along with the annual MTV Video Music Awards. The brand also operated MTV2 to emphasize music video content.

With the rise of digital media, MTV operates streaming platforms and apps in addition to traditional channels. Content is distributed via MTV.com, YouTube, and social media, with regional channels adapting to local markets while leveraging global brand identifiers and franchises.

As of the 2020s, MTV is owned by Paramount Global, part of ViacomCBS’s portfolio. The brand encompasses linear channels and digital properties and continues to produce music‑ and youth‑oriented programming, while facing ongoing discussions about its balance between music videos and other entertainment formats.