The Slacker Factor ::: The Voice of Generation X: Podcasts, Blogs, World Domination » Jersey Shore http://theslackerfactor.com Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:22:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 The Slacker Factor podcast and web space blossomed out of the collective frustrations of three East-coast-bred, corporately-employed friends who wanted to create a forum for discussion, expression, and learning. Wait…that sounds way too serious… The reality is we all hate the responsibilities of being adults, and wanted to get together to share random thoughts, listen to loud and curious music, and to have a few laughs. We want you to do the same, and to be a part of the slackerdom. Each podcast features the word and ideas of Generation X, as expressed by Christian Godbout, Robert LaFrance, and Patty Pino. Christian and Rob are veteran radio slackers and Rob continues to bring music to the masses as a professional DJ. Patty is a spoken-word performer, who, way back in the 80’s, made a living as a professional stand-up comedian. All of us met in the 90’s, when we bonded over beat-mixing and the Beastie Boys. Our voices express the angst of too-much-responsibility coupled with the never-ending search for all things less-than-mediocre. Thanks for listening to the podcasts, and checking out the web site. Christian Godbout, Robert LaFrance, and Patty Pino clean Christian Godbout, Robert LaFrance, and Patty Pino slacker@theslackerfactor.com slacker@theslackerfactor.com (Christian Godbout, Robert LaFrance, and Patty Pino) Copyright 2009, The Slacker Factor The Slacker Factor Podcast : The Voice of Generation X Generation X, Slacker, Alternative, Modern Rock, Grunge, Flannel, Music, Angst The Slacker Factor ::: The Voice of Generation X: Podcasts, Blogs, World Domination » Jersey Shore http://theslackerfactor.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://theslackerfactor.com MTV Pushing out ‘cynical’ Generation X http://theslackerfactor.com/2010/02/mtv-pushing-out-%e2%80%98cynical%e2%80%99-generation-x/ http://theslackerfactor.com/2010/02/mtv-pushing-out-%e2%80%98cynical%e2%80%99-generation-x/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:27:12 +0000 Christian http://theslackerfactor.com/?p=481

Here's to you MTV!

Well, its official.  MTV has announced their focus on Millennials, casting aside Generation X… the generation that made MTV.  Sad news indeed.  I’d like to give a big FU to MTV.  Not just for this recent admission, but for the crap they have been broadcasting for the past 20 years.  There was a time when MTV was about music television.  It was certainly a revolutionary, but simple, concept that changed music forever.  Play popular music but with supporting video.  It changed everything.  No longer were we sitting by the radio listening to music while doing something else.  Now we were completely focused on the music as a total sensory experience.  And when I say focused, I mean sitting like a zombie starring at the TV, one music video after another… completely enthralled.  It was a perfect formula and our generation shaped it.

Then something along the way happened.  Something terrible.  MTV changed focus from what made them great, music television, to a soap opera channel.  I blame the Real World and it was all down hill from there, recently culminating with Jersey Shore.  While this metamorphosis was occurring, MTV did still try to retain the Generation X market via MTV2.  This worked for a while but ultimately failed.  I want my MTV!

As I mentioned, we shaped MTV, but in a way it shaped us as well.  It changed how we absorbed music and how we responded to it on a social level.  Do you remember going into school on Monday after seeing the latest and greatest new MTV Video over the weekend???  MTV Network President Van Toffler said “Millennials are really about authentic reality and family” and that MTV “played up the camaraderie and famliy elements on Jersey Shore to appeal to them”.  What???  Has he seen Jersey Shore???  If this is any reflection on what Millennials are about, or if they are at all being shaped by MTV’s content… God help us all.

Certainly on some level I can understand MTV now focusing on Millennials.   They spend the most time in front of the television and apparently care far less about music than our generation had.  I wonder though, would Gen-Xers spend some of our prime time viewing hours watching MTV if there were still something that appealed to us?  Its hard to say because, despite their recent admission, MTV cast us aside many years ago.  So, again MTV… FU.  How’s that for cynical?

~cg

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