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subego · Mar 22, 2006, 04:58 AM

1) Just what is the rationale behind all the stuff that gets blurred-out, like on shirts and hats? There seems to be no consistency to it whatsoever. Some look like corporate logos. Are they blurred because they didn't cough-up for advertising? Some logos don't get the blur treatment. It can't all be profanity either. Is there actually some protocol here? Does MTV do the blurring, or do they request versions blurred to their specifications?

2) I've been seeing videos that look like they're widescreen, but instead of black bars on the top and bottom, there's a different (though related) video going on. Totally unwatchable. Was this MTV's idea, or is that just the new trend?

wallinbl · Mar 22, 2006, 06:14 AM

If Coke is a major advertiser on MTV or the sponsor of a certain show or special, part of their contract will likely include language saying that nothing related to Pepsi is to be shown on the channel. This means that if Britney wears a Pepsi shirt in her new video, MTV will hide the Pepsi logo.

ghporter · Mar 22, 2006, 07:46 AM

A lot of performers also like to wear "controversial" and "objectionable" statements/words on their shirts, etc. So MTV fuzzes out a word that the FCC would fine them for allowing. It's not like bluring a hand gesture here; with the right treatment you can't tell what was there-particularly when they blur the entire message. This is very much in MTV's interest.

residentEvil · Mar 22, 2006, 07:51 AM

since when did MTV play videos

thankfully, i have satellite and can watch music channels that have...videos!

euchomai · Mar 22, 2006, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

A lot of performers also like to wear "controversial" and "objectionable" statements/words on their shirts, etc. So MTV fuzzes out a word that the FCC would fine them for allowing. It's not like bluring a hand gesture here; with the right treatment you can't tell what was there-particularly when they blur the entire message. This is very much in MTV's interest.

Is MTV actually subject to FCC fines? It is pay cable and I thought that cable channels voluntarily regulated themselves as to avoid the FCC cracking down on them.

For example, FX will show boobs in a strip club and say BS on The Shield. MTV could do the same if they wanted, they choose to censor themselves.

Chuckit · Mar 22, 2006, 12:29 PM

Cable is not subject to FCC fines. MTV is a bunch of corporate pussies.

euchomai · Mar 22, 2006, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Cable is not subject to FCC fines. MTV is a bunch of corporate pussies.

That is what I thought, I know that there are Senators trying to make a name for themselves by trying to push censorship on Satellite Radio and also Cable TV. That is most likely why they self regulate.

::maroma:: · Mar 22, 2006, 12:59 PM

The blurring out of logos and such is common practice not only for MTV but for many media companies out there. If a certain company (or broadcaster in this case) has an image or video that shows another company's trademarked logo or image, that company must get permission to use that logo in the image or broadcast. And many times that permission entails paying whoever's logo or image is being used. And sometimes they just don't get permission or are denied. So they must take the logo or image out. In video this means blurring. In print (which is what I do) we just photoshop stuff like that right out.

And as stated above there are times when they are just covering up something that might be offensive to viewers.

Dr Reducto · Mar 22, 2006, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Cable is not subject to FCC fines. MTV is a bunch of corporate pussies.

Yeah, as much as they pretend to be the edgy badboys of tv, they are really the slaves of their advertisers.

Chuckit · Mar 22, 2006, 01:04 PM

I remember they censored out the end of a Vanessa Carlton video. A Vanessa ****ing Carlton video. When a chick playing the piano is too edgy for you, turn in your gonads right away.

subego · Mar 22, 2006, 02:12 PM

Thanks for all the responses!

A few specific shout-outs

wallinbl: this explains the inconsistency nicely. I was going to get an aneurism trying to base the pattern on something observable.

ghp: I figured there were a few of these. As for the "right treatment", I noticed the wage slaves doing this long ago lost the desire to do a quality job. I think it's half the "let's censor this as f**k rather than ****" phenomenon, and half that it's ridiculously dull to do. I work in film and video and have done similar things, though for far less dopey reasons than covering up profanity. Well, okay, getting rid of joggers in the background is pretty dopey.

residentEvil: they still play 2-3 hours during overnights. Me and the GF TiVo it and whip though most of it in high speed. Watching videos on MTV make us feel young.

::maroma::: Isn't is more they just don't want the risk? "Fair Use" gives you a bit of leeway on this.

Thanks again all! Any insight into the widescreen double video crap?

Rumor · Mar 22, 2006, 03:25 PM

MTV started a downhill spiral after they cancelled Headbanger's Ball the first time.

ghporter · Mar 22, 2006, 04:21 PM

They started the spiral when Martha Quinn left!

ReggieX · Mar 22, 2006, 05:43 PM

MTV doesn't to the blurring, the record companies do it on their end, because:

Originally Posted by ::maroma::

The blurring out of logos and such is common practice not only for MTV but for many media companies out there. If a certain company (or broadcaster in this case) has an image or video that shows another company's trademarked logo or image, that company must get permission to use that logo in the image or broadcast. And many times that permission entails paying whoever's logo or image is being used. And sometimes they just don't get permission or are denied. So they must take the logo or image out. In video this means blurring. In print (which is what I do) we just photoshop stuff like that right out.

This is correct.

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I remember they censored out the end of a Vanessa Carlton video. A Vanessa ****ing Carlton video. When a chick playing the piano is too edgy for you, turn in your gonads right away.

How do you mean censored, though? You did not say what they did.

Rumor · Mar 22, 2006, 05:53 PM

Fuse reminds me of what MTV used to be.

Railroader · Mar 22, 2006, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

They started the spiral when Martha Quinn left!

When they first aired "Remote Control" was the first sign of End Times™.

Chuckit · Mar 22, 2006, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by ReggieX

How do you mean censored, though? You did not say what they did.

First, as I recall, they told Vanessa Carlton to change the ending of the "Pretty Baby" video — in which it turns out she's singing to a panicked guy tied to a chair — and after she refused, they wouldn't play the end of the video. And then they wouldn't let her use the word "blood" at the end of "White Houses."