Sight on Sound- MTV Prototype (1981)

Early MTV prototype on the Warner-Amex QUBE system. It was crucial to the early development of MTV along with Nickelodeon's music video show called PopClips and a pilot called Middle Earth.

[@jeffharrisTXB]

This is how TV viewership should be measured today. What QUBE did was nothing short of revolutionary. But here was a show legitimately measuring the audience watching in real time during the show in what would be considered a break. Not only the they get measure the total audience, but also broke the demos in half by kids and adults watching. Those raw numbers must've come in good use when selling the idea of MTV to the highers up at Warner AMEX. Essentially tweens, teens, and young adults tuned in. That's amazing.

[@robinsss]

Wiki said this debuted in 77 ' do you know what MTV's highest viewership was?

[@sonicextremities9570]

It was revolutionary for the time but technology has long advanced since this point. Especially in the age when most media is streamed on smart devices (using accounts that already have metadata of all kinds on viewers), data is accessed outside of the viewer often times. Surveys and such exist but the information they collect is outweighed by the sheer size of data collected/sold by companies like Google or Facebook. More companies have taken a page out of their book when it comes to data collection

[@astonishingpatch]

If only live TV was interactive like this today...

[@Mickeys-Media]

The background music for when the VJ is talking is from the very beginning of "You Better You Bet"

[@jblattnernyc]

I didn't know footage of this service even existed. Thank you for making this available! Absolutely incredible

[@VBaskin2010]

WOW! MTV Sure Comes A Long Way!

[@caramelpro6949]

MTV or Music Television was originally launched as Sight on Sound on December 1, 1977, same date as Nickelodeon (formerly Pinwheel) by the Warner-Amex Satellite Company

[@caramelpro6949]

I know but in 1980, MTV is also known as The Music Channel.

[@robinsss]

@@caramelpro6949 the article says music tv

[@alejandravaleria3512]

@@robinsss ui

[@alejandravaleria3512]

is nick jr.

[@arrowpictures2844]

@@alejandravaleria3512Nick Jr. came way later in 1988

[@buckfiden6227]

About summer of 1980 they also had a show called "Video Music Hall" & I always thought that VMH was the precursor to MTV.

[@rexsexson5349]

I vaguely remember seeing old VHS tapes of this. I was born 77 and MTV was 1981 so I don't remember this but again VHS tapes. wow!

[@guest2838]

This was around 1977 to 1981

[@mr.eggface]

Not from 1981, it's from 1977.

[@alejandravaleria3512]

is nick jr

[@seanharris4251]

This is wierd

[@trombone7]

3:00 Hi, 1980s. I'm from 2022. This question will be offensive. I'm not the best person to explain it to you.