One important aspect of cable television for MTV was “the advent of stereo TV and the deregulation of the airwaves” (Szatmary 280). By using satelittle cable, television networks could be broadcast around the country, opening up a new means for the dispersion of commercial music (Wicke 158). With this new capability, MTV was able to be shown in “2,700 cable networks with about 24 million subscribers” (160). In addition to these high numbers of success, another aspect of cable television contributed to MTV’s success. MTV was one of the view channels that was able to “be received free of charge apart from a monthly basic fee for the cable connection” (ibid). MTV was created with an investment from the Warner Bros. company, who helped the channel pay for the costs of satellite programming. Although the set-up of MTV was inexpensive to control, as artists paid for the production of the music videos, the high price of airing satellite transmission was much more expensive. MTV did benefit from a high amount of advertising, but still, “the company’s initial losses still ran into the millions”
One important aspect of cable television for MTV was “the advent of stereo TV and the deregulation of the airwaves” (Szatmary 280). By using satelittle cable, television networks could be broadcast around the country, opening up a new means for the dispersion of commercial music (Wicke 158). With this new capability, MTV was able to be shown in “2,700 cable networks with about 24 million subscribers” (160). In addition to these high numbers of success, another aspect of cable television contributed to MTV’s success. MTV was one of the view channels that was able to “be received free of charge apart from a monthly basic fee for the cable connection” (ibid). MTV was created with an investment from the Warner Bros. company, who helped the channel pay for the costs of satellite programming. Although the set-up of MTV was inexpensive to control, as artists paid for the production of the music videos, the high price of airing satellite transmission was much more expensive. MTV did benefit from a high amount of advertising, but still, “the company’s initial losses still ran into the millions”