If you saw the news this weekend, Kerrang, Kiss, 4Music, Magic and The Box have ceased programming.
Back on the 29 January 2024, Channel 4 announced that Kerrang! TV and its sister channels would be closing as part of the future plans of the company leading up to 2030.
So that’s it, gone!
I missed that news back in January, why? Probably because like everyone else I don’t watch them anymore, and before you agree with or berate me let me ask you this, did you? Any more?
Growing up MTV was a daily watch, I’d just put in on instead of playing music in the house. My stereo was in my bedroom, The early SKY TV I accessed it through was in my parents living room, sound familiar? MTV was fantastic back in the late eighties to early nineties, BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT MUSIC! The moment that first reality TV show appeared “MTVs The Real World” the music was doomed. And then there was streaming which pretty much wiped my use of MTV or similar channels out. That was it, yes I used to watch MTV and other music channels, regularly flicking between that, Kerrang and The Box plus others I can’t remember the names of, it was 30 or so years ago. Now I just bring up Spotify on the TV hooked up to a soundbar when I’m not playing records.
So why didn’t MTV as the foremost music channel of it type at the time jump on streaming early and create a Spotify?
I went to take a look at MTV.co.uk and MTV.com, not that I expected much of a difference but all I found was reality TV reruns. Music videos are there but they are second on the list after shows and before TV schedule.
Do I assume record companies don’t care or list interest in the TV and music video side?And why should they? MTV should have done a deal with Tik Tok or it was probably too late by then? When I stream on the TV we often say would be nice to have a visual, compression is surely at a point this is possible or at least a choice? Videos are still a thing?
Ultimately it’s about income, if providing visuals that way to engage isn’t profitable enough, it won’t happen. Or are they all on Tik Tok? And that’s good enough for those interested as the main point of music even in the wake of recent changes and copyright.
