Birth of MTV - Public Domain/Licensed for Reuse/Fair Use

Today, with more than 340 million viewers worldwide, MTV is a cultural phenomenon, a force that has changed the worlds of fashion, movies, and music itself. But in 1981, when a small band of men and women started the first 24-hour music channel, no one was interested—except the kids. 

Robert Sam Anson

Images without restriction

The four images below were downloaded from Google Advanced Search and all of their usage rights are "free to use or share." Therefore, they can be used without restriction.

Figure 1. MTV Logo

Figure 2. MTV Logo

Figure 3. MTV Birthday Log

Video without restriction

The following video below is a public domain video from archive.org and show a Tanner Richie music video. Now musicians can promote themselves on the internet and hope for viewers, fans, and one day stardom on MTV.

Fair Use

These photos can be used in a fair use method through having commentary about the demand of MTV when it first was launched and the popularity of MTV and also the combination of the Rolling Stones logo with the MTV logo creating. In addition, discussion about the launching of careers and the popularity of MTV in movies and shows such as Beavis and Butthead.

Figure 5. I want my MTV logo

Figure 6. General MTV collage

Pay to Play - pay to license

This is a promotional commercial produced by MTV in the early 1980's to encourage viewers to demand local cable companies to add the channel to the line-up. After the first year of MTV being a failure the channel launched the "I Want My MTV" campaign which launched its success in the homes of American. MTV used various musicians from all genres to promote the channel and created a marketing success. The popularity of the channel has lasted into the 21st century.