An MTV Video Music Award (commonly abbreviated as a VMA) is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category), the annual MTV Video Music Awards ceremony has often been called the “Oscars for youth”, an acknowledgment of the VMA ceremony’s ability to draw millions of youth from teens to 20-somethings each year.
The annual VMA ceremony occurs before the end of summer and held either in late August or mid-September, and broadcast live on MTV. The first VMA ceremony was held in 1984 at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. The ceremonies are normally held in either New York City or Los Angeles. However, the ceremonies have also been hosted in Miami and Las Vegas.
Miley Cyrus’ 2013 VMA Performance Sparks Onslaught of Complaints to FCCNORTHRIDGE (BlackVault) – September 13th, 2013 – This year, MTV’s VMA Awards were rocked with controversy as performers Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke took the stage. Cyrus quickly stripped down to the equivalent of a peach colored skimpy bra and underwear, armed herself with a foam finger, and proceeded with a performance that ranks up there with Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl half-time ‘nipple slip,’ and even the recent R&B pop star Miguel’s mishap crashing into a fan’s head in the audience. In what can be described as “Twerk-gate 2013,” the ‘blogosphere’ erupted worldwide with slamming tweets, negative press, and horrible reviews. As a result, the video of Cyrus’ raunchy performance with Thicke quickly became viral. But instead of tweetings, many households took their complaints directly to the Federal Communications Commissions, or FCC, the federal agency directly in charge of regulating the airwaves. In a recent release of documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the FCC released 160 such complaints to The Black Vault website (www.theblackvault.com), and online clearinghouse of declassified records from the U.S. Government. “It amazes me that a strip club is opening in Atlantic City, and the performers there will be forbidden to simulate sexual acts, but Myley (sic) Cyrus did just that on national TV” said one complainer from Holland, Pennsylvania. “The Miley Cyrus performance was very pornographic…” said another from Minnesota. “It was a train wreck that never should have happened, and VMAs should be accountable for this sexualized performance” chimed in one disgruntled viewer from Wyoming. And the complaints went on. However, regardless of the complaints not only against MTV, but networks cable-wide, the FCC clearly states, “The FCC receives many complaints and comments that do not involve violations of the Communications Act or any FCC rule or order. Thus, a complaint or comment does not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing by any individuals or entities named in the complaint or comment.” So was it lewd? Clearly. But was it law breaking? That’s up to a judge. |
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This post was published on March 3, 2015 6:39 pm
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