MTV

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 1:38pm on Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Nancy Franklin, the excellent television critic at The New Yorker, casts a jaundiced eye on MTV's "Jersey Shore" in the article "Jersey Jetsam," published on January 18, 2010:

"Snooki, the princess of Poughkeepsie, is a tiny and very peculiar twenty-two-year-old who is out of control in so many ways (she had the distinction of being the first housemate to overdrink and then vomit; that happened within the first twenty-four hours) that she’s doomed to have her own show one day. And that’s what she’s angling for. She has already come up with a title: “Snookin’ for Love,” as she said to Conan O’Brien. Snooki (her real name is Nicole) is the woman who is punched in the face by a guy in a bar; it’s an ugly scene, and MTV has milked it with cool proficiency. But we can’t hold MTV responsible for Snooki’s signature hair pouf—that’s all Snooki’s doing. It’s quite a situation."

The full story:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2010/01/18/100118crte_television_franklin

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 9:57am on Thursday, January 28th, 2010

MTV's "Jersey Shore" Boosts Ratings for Viacom

The Associated Press reported on January 27, 2010:

"It's a good thing for Viacom that the public can't seem to turn away from reality shows such as "Jersey Shore" and "Teen Mom."

Since September 2006, Viacom has struggled with poor ratings and a flagging stock price.

"That has now changed," said David Miller, an analyst at Caris & Co. who upgraded the stock to "Above Average" from "Below Average."

'Jersey Shore,' a show about hot-tubbing housemates living in the New Jersey shore shown on Viacom's MTV, has become the top prime-time show for viewers in the 12 to 34 age group on Thursdays. 'Teen Mom,' a reality show about the travails of single moms, is now the number one prime-time show on Tuesday nights for the 12 to 24 age group.

"Even scarier," Miller writes, is that Viacom's MTV unit will air another four to six series starting in the second quarter.

"If just one of those hits, MTV will have three stalwart series which it will use as leverage going into this June's cable upfront" ad-buying season, Miller said in a research note. That's "something we have not see out of Viacom since 2005."

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 10:50am on Thursday, January 21st, 2010

UNICO National to Hold Anti-Bias 'Summit On the Shore: Anti-Italianism - MTV's 'Jersey Shore' and a Whole Lot More!'

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J., January 21, 2010 -- UNICO National is bringing its anti-bias war to the shore -- to the hometown of MTV's infamous stereotyping and ethnic-bashing "reality" series "Jersey Shore!"

A number of expert panelists, including UNICO National President Andre' DiMino, Italian American One Voice Chairman and Founder Dr. Manny Alfano, a number of invited guests and elected local and state officials, are set to examine MTV's "Jersey Shore" as part of an overview of the stereotyping of Italian Americans in mass media on Saturday, January 30th at Seaside Heights. MTV CEO Judith McGrath and MTV President of Programming Tony DiSanto will also be invited to attend and comment on MTV's policies with respect to this series. The event is entitled UNICO's S.O.S. "Summit On the Shore: Anti-Italianism - MTV's 'Jersey Shore' and a Whole Lot More!" Councilmember Joyce Camera will be welcoming attendees on behalf of the Borough of Seaside Heights.

"It's only appropriate that we bring this to the place where this abomination of a TV show was filmed," DiMino said, noting that many area residents and borough officials have expressed disapproval with MTV and the show's anti-Italian content. "The sad part is that 'Jersey Shore' is merely the latest entry in a long line of shows and media depictions that have ultimately stereotyped and degraded Italian Americans for decades. We plan on discussing this phenomenon, and our call to action."

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 12:45pm on Friday, January 15th, 2010

MTV Networks Presents 'Hope for Haiti,' an Earthquake Relief Global Telethon on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1, and CMT

"NEW YORK and LOS ANGELES, January 15, 2010 -- In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, MTV Networks is presenting "Hope for Haiti," a global telethon to air commercial-free across ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1, and CMT on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and 7:00 p.m. CT. "Hope for Haiti" will also be made available to MTV Networks International, CNN International and National Geographic channels worldwide.

Leading the charge for "Hope for Haiti" will be George Clooney in Los Angeles, Wyclef Jean in New York City and CNN's Anderson Cooper from Haiti. The two-hour telethon will be broadcast from New York City and Los Angeles, and will feature musical performances and celebrity appearances to be announced prior to the event, as well as live news reports from CNN. "Hope for Haiti" will be produced by Joel Gallen, Tenth Planet Productions, in collaboration with MTV Networks and George Clooney.

All proceeds will be split evenly among five relief organizations currently operating in Haiti: Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF and Yele Haiti Foundation (www.yele.org/text to give at 501501). Facebook and MySpace have also signed on as official social media partners to help drive donations and tune-in to the telethon."