Institutions where music videos are shown

Music videos are a moving, visual medium; meaning they can only really be displayed in two forms, on television or online.


Online video sharing websites



Music videos on the internet can spread virally, gaining millions of views each day. Most modern artists have their own YouTube (or other websites such as Vimeo) account, where each view of their video earns them advertising revenue. YouTube allows viewers to type in what they want specifically or they can be recommended new songs based on what they think the viewer would like. Nearly every music video ever made is available, which is convenient for people who want to find something obscure. The nature of the internet allows content to be freely available without censorship for those who wish to view it. The audience has the ability to save and download videos along with sharing videos with friends, either on YouTube or social media. This is partly how viral videos spread due to the ease of sharing what you're watching with others. YouTube has a younger audience than TV and radio with it being online, and the most popular videos reflect this, being mostly pop videos and pranks.


Music channels



Many music channels have came and gone since MTV's introduction in 1981, but the premise remains the same. A channel that shows music videos is a win-win situation all around. The viewer watches the videos they want to see, the artist gets their work seen by more people and the channel gets money from advertisements. The viewer has no control over what videos they see, but they can change to a channel that deals in a particular genre. Examples of such stations include Kerrang! (rock), Magic (easygoing, music from the 80's) and Channel AKA (urban, hip-hop). The regulations on what is deemed fit for broadcast are tighter, with some videos being restricted to after the watershed or banned all together. The audience for music channels varies depending on the channel. For example, MTV and 4Music are marketed towards a younger aundience (12-21) while Classic FM and Smooth Radio are marketed towards an older audience (30+). On these channels aimed at younger people, reality shows replace the music after ~6pm, such as Geordie Shore and Pimp My Ride. These shows prove to equally popular or moreso than the music, leading to a larger viewership and, in turn, larger advertising revenue.



The video for Rihanna's "S&M" is only available to over 18's on YouTube and is banned before 9pm on MTV on the ground it is too sexually explicit for children