There's always VH1 Classic...
Back when Spike TV was The Nashville Network, VH1 seemed to have more in common with CBS than FOX. Compared to the vibrant MTV, VH1 was the “boring” network. In fact, the network begin in 1985 to complement MTV with older adult-oriented programming. Picture Kenny G music video instead of millionaire alleged murderers. Wikipedia sums up what the 18-35 demographic wanted:
VH1 catered to adult top 40, including musicians such as Ace of Base, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and other slightly more rock-oriented popular music than what it had originally played, though favorites such as Whitney Houston, Elton John, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Céline Dion, still received heavy play as well.
When did the switch over to “celebreality” take place? Some may say the catalyst was the name-change to “VH1: Music First” in 1994. However, few facts can support this argument. Pop-Up Video was added in 1996 and was an instant sensation. Behind The Music in 1997? Legendary, but paltry ratings in 2002 caused VH1 to change programming direction. A 2008 article explains what happened:
By 2002, Behind the Music, in all its scandalous glory, had grown as tired as an overplayed pop refrain. Ratings were down some 35% and VH1 needed new life. MTV Networks whiz-kid programmer Brian Graden, now president of entertainment, MTV Networks Music Group/president, Logo, was brought in to run the makeover, which he did by shifting VH1’s focus to pop culture, and its tone to tongue-in-cheek.
The “Music First” slogan was dropped, and some of the bio programs were replaced by irreverent countdowns such as the hit I Love the… franchise and Best Week Ever. The genre the network branded as “celebreality”—unscripted shows about C-level stars—began when Graden scooped up The Surreal Life after it was cast off by The WB. That term, which the network devised for marketing and packaging purposes, grew to become part of the cultural lexicon as Surreal led to a slew of successful spin-offs including Strange Love, Flavor of Love and I Love New York.
“There were a lot of shows on TV at the time that traded on a little of the scandal and the celebrity reveal and the stuff you’re not supposed to know,” Graden recalls. “With the next generation, there seemed to be a love of the absurd and the things we grew up with together perceived culturally in a more personable, silly and funny way.”
Yes, that’s right, The WB rejected The Surreal Life, and thus enabled VH1 to have increasing viewership for 7 consecutive years and counting. Go figure.
