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Milestone

Launch of MTV

Television and Cable Milestones

MTV launched at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981, opening with a montage of the Apollo 11 moon landing and then the first video the channel ever played, The Buggles' Video Killed the Radio Star, a pointed juxtaposition of a historic space achievement against a song about technology upending an older medium. The lunar imagery from that first broadcast became central to the channel's branding, and the moon man statuette handed out at MTV's own Video Music Awards still traces back to it.

Facts
Milestone Year
1981 1
When
MTV launched at 12:01 am Eastern time on August 1, 1981, opening with the words Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll, followed by the first music video aired, the Buggles' Video Killed the Radio Star. 1
Location
New York City, United States 1
Connections

Associated With

Source Wikipedia
Additional Source MTV (Wikipedia)MTV, Launch

In Medium

Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia Foundation
  • MTV, History and Programming sections
    MTV was launched on August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., under the ownership of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment.
  • MTV, History section, launch date
    MTV was launched on August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., under the ownership of Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment.
  • MTV, Launch
    MTV: Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll
View the Source
MTV (Wikipedia)
Associated With: Moon Landing Broadcast, MTV, LaunchView the Source

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