How VH1 Became MTV, and Vice Versa

I was fine with the old VH1, I really was. I practically grew up on it, with MTV being programmed out of the cable boxes of my childhood by parents who meant well and reasoned that surely their children could find other means of social interaction with their peer group than discussing pop culture. Hymns, for instance.

So my younger sister and I were weaned on Behind the Music and the Top 20 video countdown, and we grew so familiar with the network's format that we were originally mildly disappointed with MTV. Where was the actual music that supposedly represented one-third of its acronym? Waves of "original programming" were heaved at us, with music videos only occasionally surfacing for our viewing pleasure; forget even trying to learn about any new music that wasn't Top 40 or TRL material. TRL; that podium from which Carson Daly spouted inane ingratiations for endless parades of talentless pop singers and resigned-looking movie stars, the kind who know they should know better than to be anywhere near Daly and his foul stench of desperation.

But, of late, VH1 has seen fit to reinvent itself, blasting out of the gate with new graphics, ads and ubiquitous I Love the '80s episodes running 24/7. The network shot a sequel to the '80s show, as well as one for the '70s, both of which were soon followed by The Fabulous Life of..., a show clearly designed to foster the worship/envy mentality that, taken to its deadly and inevitable extreme, creates things like the E! network.

The network now produces nothing but smug, commercial-anti-commercial clip shows mocking the media they so lovingly embraced just a few years ago, hosted by B-level stand-up comics and actors dragged out of retirement to explain/apologize for Welcome Back, Kotter.

And MTV? While still creating original programming, the network has maintained and even increased the amount of time devoted to music videos and developing artists. VH1 can't seem to get enough tabloid photos of J-Lo, but MTV is encouraging viewers to check out new records by Modest Mouse, Von Bondies and others.

VH1, you can keep your paparazzi programming, gossip shows and movies like Space Jam.

I want my MTV.