Recent cuts at MTV Australia have sparked anger within the local music industry with the channel no longer featuring Australian Artists
As previously revealed by TV Blackbox, The main MTV channel was removed from the Foxtel platform in August. although several internationally produced music channels MTV Hits, MTV Club, and MTV 80 linger on the pay-tv platform.
The bulk of MTV programming has been relocated to 10play/Pluto TV’s FAST channels in a move that has seen Australian content axed and replaced by an amalgam of US Reality TV and various globally programmed MTV music channels.
Industry website The Music reports the changes, which exclude CMT, led to a series of redundancies for MTV staff in Australia. Other channels like MTV 90s and MTV 00s can still be found on Fetch, in addition to the 10 Play streams. Observations indicate minimal space for domestic artists under the new setup.
Several Australian music initiatives, including the ‘Upload’ show which illuminated the path for emerging acts, have been terminated,
A Paramount ANZ spokesperson told The Music,
“In an Australian-first, MTV music channels are now available for free via Pluto TV on 10 Play. Our MTV music channels have moved to a global feed that features the best music from around the world.”
However, when pressed about the inclusion of more Australian content or the opportunity for local artists and labels to pitch their music, the spokesperson refrained from commenting.
One anonymous source from the industry expressed discernment yet dismay, sharing,
“You never want to see a media which can give a lift to Australian artists go by the wayside, especially one that has such great history and gives life to the visual medium for music.”
The source commended the sustained operation of CMT but emphasised the collective value of now-defunct channels like MTV Hits and Club in supplementing Australian culture.
Frank Varrasso, a foremost radio plugger, illuminated the wider implications of the development, elucidating,
“When it comes to emerging artists, international channels prioritise established international artists over emerging Australian talent. This can make it more challenging for new artists to break through on a global scale, which concerns me most.”
Varrasso also underscored the crucial economic role of the music industry, hinting at potential reverberations on various revenue channels and the potential homogenisation of the musical landscape due to reduced representation of diverse Australian voices and genres.
SOURCE: The Music
