Internet Killed the Video Star That Killed the Radio Star

The MTV generation is pushing middle age, and its favored video-delivery system is falling victim to YouTube, the Independent reports. Younger audiences–those key 16- to 24-year-olds–turn to the Internet for the hottest new music, and MTV's attempts to reconnect have failed. They include stabs at social networking and user-generated content.

"MTV used to be the place where you would go to see new music videos," says one competitor. "Now, nine of the top 20 hits of YouTube are music videos." The pioneer network also faces competition from mobile phone content and 40 other UK music channels. One exec acknowledges, "We need to do a huge amount of research." (More MTV stories.)