Ever since reading Christine Rosen’s article on image saturation and the potential (and as yet unknown) effects of the constant barrage of images to which we are all exposed, I have found myself watching television and consuming other media with an eye to the so-called “MTV Effect.” When it was founded in 1981, MTV pioneered a fast-paced, “in your face” style of programming which privileged quick cuts, layered graphics, multiple messages, and random transitions. While the network has moved away from the exclusive airing of music videos in favor of original programming, the network nonetheless retains this rather peripatetic style of filming which is often rather jarring, a style which has been appropriated by numerous other channels. With the advent of the internet, this style of visual representation has become all the more apparent, even in print and online media, as advertisers purchase space on well-traveled sites in an effort to boost revenues. I wonder - is "more" really "more?" Do we neglect content due to the distracting nature of the images with which we are confronted?
MTV.com screenshot
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