MTV News was closed down last year due to staff reductions at its parent firm, Paramount. Last week, Patrick Hosken, a former editor of MTV News (and a contributor to Stereogum), observed that the website of the music publication had been deactivated, resulting in the loss of numerous years of esteemed music journalism. The Internet Archive has provided a searchable database of MTV News, offering a solution to the problem.
The database contains a total of 460,575 web pages that were formerly published on mtv.com/news, starting from the website’s establishment in 1996. Paramount also removed content from its CMT, Comedy Central, and TV Land websites. “In order to enhance our website, Paramount has implemented more efficient versions of our sites, directing fans to Paramount+ to enjoy their preferred shows,” stated a representative from Paramount Global. The MTV News database can be accessed here.
Shari Redstone’s National Amusements Inc., which has control over Paramount Global, recently ended discussions of a merger with David Ellison’s Skydance Media, known for producing popular movie franchises such as Mission: Impossible and Star Trek. Currently, National Amusements Inc. is seeking to reduce its yearly expenses by $500 million and is considering selling off certain parts of its media empire. Paramount’s intentions regarding the sale of MTV and its other cable networks, such as Nickelodeon, remain uncertain. However, recent information suggests that the corporation is considering selling BET to the network’s CEO and CC Capital’s Chinh Chu for $1.6 billion. Following yesterday’s revelation that IAC, led by Barry Diller, may be considering purchasing Paramount, it appears that the merger with Skydance is indeed taking place.
Paramount Global’s long-term debt amounted to $14.6 billion last year, and recently its shares reached its lowest point ever. Notwithstanding the decline of its cable business, Paramount also possesses valuable assets in the form of CBS and Paramount Pictures. Additionally, it aims to consolidate its Paramount+ platform with another streaming service, such as Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
MTV was established in 1981 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment and later acquired by a consortium that included Paramount, which was then known as Viacom, in 1983. In 1987, Sumner Redstone’s father, Sumner, gained ownership of Viacom through his company, National Amusements. In 2010, MTV removed “Music Television” from its branding, but it maintained its production of music journalism until the closure of MTV News. The MTV Video Music Awards will commemorate its 40th anniversary on September 10th, although the MTV Movie & TV Awards will not take place this year.