We Want Media

Well, not really. But that’s kind of what they are hoping for with plans to remake their network into a medium based on user-generated content.

It seems like MTV will mimic Rolling Stone’s idea by introducing both YouTube and MySpace-like components to their programming on air and online.

Changes will include homemade videos that will make up a good portion of the content for new episodes of “My Super Sweet 16,” and casting for “The Real World” that will now take place entirely online.

MTV’s signature program, "Total Request Live," will get a much needed makeover and name change, (considering the show is no longer taped live), and will relaunch this summer with voting only taking place online and "a good number of the videos" that will have the viewers' thumbprints on them, according to a recent article in the LA Times.

The article also pointed out poor ratings for this season of “Road Rules.” What the article didn’t mention is that this season is called “Viewer’s Revenge,” where the audience votes online and chooses which cast members have to compete in a challenge each week to remain on the show, a similar idea to what MTV is trying to expand on but evidently already did once unsuccessfully.

MTV has always strived on remaking itself. As its audience grows up and moves on, they pulls back and change to satisfy a new generation of pop-culture hungry teenagers. Brian Graden, MTV Networks' music group entertainment president, calls this new idea “radical,” but so are Pauly Shore and Jenny McCarthy, who both got their start on MTV. And look how that worked out.