Tom Freston

Well, you know, it's sort of like looking back and seeing your old high school on fire.

They haven't really put any money or effort into MTV for, I don't know, 15 years or so.

I think all the music people who were there left, they even saw the music television off the bottom of the logo

And it became sort of a repository for grade B reality shows, well off its original mission.

I do think that MTV could be reinvented in a digital format to be a more interesting curator of music these days.

Music is still a huge category and there's a huge amount of listening going on.

So it's crazy.

not to think that MTV couldn't recapture some corner of the music business.

I mean, on one hand, you have a lot of consumers who are sort of tired of the algorithmally programmed streaming services and so forth.

So, I mean, I don't think it's a layup, but it's certainly worth it.

It's a brand with worldwide recognition.

And I do know that they're working on that at Paramount with Jeff Schell and David Ellison.

That's a good question.

You know, the media world is so different right now.

I mean, my default is sort of media and entertainment, so I'd be interested.

It's harder to carve out a place right now.

I mean, I think the closer you get to talent and content creation, the better off you would be.

The days of the monoculture where you had the rise of MTV as a really important gatekeeper, those are gone.

So I'm in the lucky position of not having to worry about working in the business right now, in that particular business.

I find it more interesting sort of on the fringes for myself.