Tom Calderone speaks at Buffalo State College
By
Patrick Sawers
Buffalo State College alumnus Tom Calderone, MTV's vice president for music programming, was on campus recently to take part in a panel discussion and field audience questions. The panel, which also featured professors William Raffel and Tom McCray , discussed MTV's standards and goals within the industry, as well as its role in society. Diminishing interest in the school's resources
Calderone, who graduated from Buffalo State in 1985, began the discussion by commenting on the marked decline in student participation . He said he was appalled to find so few students taking advantage of such campus resources as radio station WBNY and television station BSC-TV.
“When I was here, there was a minimum of 15 students in the radio station, whether it was 3 p.m. or 3 a.m.,” Calderone said. “They had a passion and a drive to get to the market.”
He said the facilities opened up the field for him, and urged students not to forego industry experience in favor of more immediate concerns like a part-time job.
“I can't stress how important it is to take advantage of student activities,” he said. “Not taking advantage of what this school's got to offer is a mistake.”
The panel discussion
The panel covered a vast range of issues, from MTV's day-to-day operations to its place in contemporary society.
Calderone also addressed his role as music programmer , and noted that viewer interaction is key to successful music selection.
“It's all about talking to the audience,” he said. “If you're a good programmer, no matter what you're doing you should be able to reach the audience.”
Other topics covered in the panel discussion were:
- MTV's criteria for music video selection
- How MTV recruits new talent
- MTV's pro-social causes
- MTV: leader or follower in the industry?
- MTV and 9/11
Audience questions
Calderone entertained a number of questions, mostly from students concerning their current education and future in the job market . He discussed the importance of a college education, networking and dedication.
He also offered advice to communications majors who plan on seeking a job in the media industry upon graduation.
“Expose yourself to everything going on in the media,” he said. “Become a student of it, understand what's going on.”
Off limits?
Calderone declined to address questions dealing with the recent Super Bowl controversy , noting that the issue has already been addressed and dealt with.
“It was disappointing and we were of course shocked by it,” he said. “That's it.”
A spokesperson for MTV said as far as she knew, no restrictions were placed on the issues Calderone was permitted speak about. MTV is owned by Viacom, which was responsible for producing the Super Bowl halftime show at which a portion of Janet Jackson's top was removed.
“As far as I know, he wasn't restricted,” said MTV publicist Marty Black, but noted she was speaking based on personal knowledge rather than an official MTV statement.
Calderone said the ongoing goal of MTV is to provide a “potpourri of music. Not necessarily alternative, not necessarily hip-hop, but a broad scope of music that's happening everywhere.”
Email: patricksawers@buffalo.com |
