Milestones
Launch of MTV
Television
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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 WhenMTV 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 LocationNew York City, United States 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia
1. Wikipedia
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationMTV, LaunchQuote, MTV, Launch
MTV: Music Television goes on the air for the first time ever, with the words Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll
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