Leibsohn, who interned in the business development department at MTV this past summer, said that all of the footage that MTV shot of Amherst will be used for a new network, MTVU (U stands for university). According to Leibsohn, MTV bought out CTN (College Television Network), which broadcasts across a closed circuit cable television network in all major universities.
MTVU will target college students and be more low budget and have different artists than its parent station. "It will be a bit crunchier-the idea is that the college student is the best consumer usually," said Leibsohn, who worked directly with MTV's Morgan Hertzan, the creator of MTVU. "[The college student] has the most disposable income with very few living expenses. MTV wanted to get hold of this demographic, so they're starting this channel. However, the hope is to spin it off as another independent MTV channel, kind of like MTV2," said Leibsohn.
The crew from MTV, which comprised of a producer, technician, and a video-jockey (VJ), caused quite a raucous at a party in Hitchcock House. Before MTV can film anyone, they have to have verbal agreement from the people being filmed. "So picture Hitchcock filled with tons of kids drinking, kegs, dancing, loud music, etc," said Leibsohn. "Then this one guy with a camera standing on top of the piano yelling as loud as he can, 'MTV needs your permission to use your image. Do you guys mind being filmed for MTV?' Cups were raised, and the whole place in unison busts out with a kind of drunken, debaucherous 'hell no.'"
But not everyone on campus was as excited to see the MTV cameras. "They came up to me and asked me what I thought about the UMass girls who come over and try to steal the boys at Amherst," said Kelly Potanka '03. "I just said that it didn't really affect me."
When Danielle Williams '03 met the crew from MTVU, they showed her a music video where the star had a goatee and then asked her how she would define a goatee. "Of course I said the dumbest first thing that came to my head, which was 'My dad always defines it as having a little spinach on your chin,'" said Williams. However, she said that the crew was friendly and seemed excited about the new network.
MTV's footage of the College, which also included scenes of Leibsohn at Amherst Brewing Company and Atlantis, will be be on the air in many different formats, according to Leibsohn.
One of these will be "VJ Shots" which will be introductions of music videos and another will be "College Life Stories."
Leibsohn thinks MTVU is a good idea. "But as most everyone knows, MTV has the reputation of sensationalizing and 'popping' everything that happens and somehow turning it around into a 'watch MTV' kind of thing," he said. "But if they stay true to the intention of MTVU, which is to cater to this particular suspicion that college viewers have of MTV [that it sensationalizes everything], then I think they'll be all right."
"Besides," Leibsohn added, "It was fun to get friends and classmates on camera, get Amherst on TV, stuff like that."
MTVU will premiere in April or May.