MTV today looks like the MTV of 1983. It’s the Michael Jackson music channel.
The original cable channel for music, which grew successful in part as a result of Mr. Jackson’s groundbreaking videos, reprised its early days by showing the singer’s biggest hits beginning Thursday evening.
MTV says the marathon will continue through 8 p.m. Eastern on Friday. The channel is showing Mr. Jackson’s music videos, news updates and a highlight reel of the performer’s career. It is showing statements from artists and fans on the bottom of the screen. An updated news special will be shown at 6 p.m.
BET, which like MTV is operated by Viacom, is also showing special coverage of Mr. Jackson’s death today. The program, called “Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough,” is playing all day on the channel.
MTV Hits, MTV Jams and VH1 Classic, three digital off-shoots, will be wall-to-wall with Mr. Jackson’s videos all weekend.
“This is arguably one of the most seminal artists in MTV’s history and in modern pop music culture,” said Van Toffler, the president of the MTV Networks music group.
MTV started showing Mr. Jackson’s videos when reports indicated that he had been hospitalized. A news special was shown during the 9 p.m. hour. After a brief break, the channel restarted the music video marathon late Thursday, Mr. Toffler said.
Mr. Jackson helped to put MTV on the map in the early 1980s. “Michael undoubtedly moved the art form of the video from what were maybe mini-commercials to mini-movies,” Mr. Toffler said.
When the 13-minute “Thriller” music video premiered on MTV on Dec. 2, 1983, viewers had never seen anything like it.
“I’m not sure we’ve seen anything like it since,” Mr. Toffler added. “From the storytelling to the horror piece of it to the costumes to the choreography, it was a great 13-minute movie.”
In 1999, TV Guide and MTV designated “Thriller” as the greatest music video of all time.
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