1981 – 1986
1981
· MTV launches in the United States on August 1st at 12:01am with Buggles’ ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’. Our very first hour features videos by Rod Stewart, The Who and Cliff Richard!!! Within six months MTV has over 2 million subscribers!
1982
· David Bowie, Pete Townsend, Mick Jagger, The Police and Adam Ant front advertising campaign entitled ‘I Want My MTV’.
· MTV takes its first trip to London to cover the premiere of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’.
1983
· MTV debuts Michael Jackson's genre-busting 14-minute ‘Thriller’ video.
1984
· The first MTV Video Music Awards are held in New York, with hosts Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler.
· MTV Networks becomes a publicly traded company.
· Time Warner acquires Nickelodeon and incorporated it into MTV Networks.
1985
· VH1 launches on January 1 in the US as a 24-hour music channel.
· MTV broadcasts Live Aid live to the American public.
· Nickelodeon re-launches in January, with the famous ever-changing orange shape as the new logo.
· Nick at Nite launches - an irreverent network for kids and grown-up kids alike.
1986
· Viacom purchases MTV Networks from Time Warner.
