MTV to do Show on Sorority Life

[moe.ron]

Smells like an ambush. I wouldn't touch this with a ten foot pole.

[Dejajeva]

Yes, I watch MTV.
I'm only nineteen.

Okay this is going to sound crazy, but I think you guys are underestimating MTV. I think they do some very positive shows. Ie- Fight for your rights.

Plus, I don't know.

Here's the thing- if a tv show airs footage of hazing, sex, alcohol, drugs...in association with a Sorority...well, then obviously= something's wrong with the Sorority. Don't give them something to write about!

We as greeks need to be sure that our sororities (and fraternities) aren't partaking in stuff like that so they (documentary makers and everyone else) wont have anything bad to say! Plus, if a network blantantly makes things up, you can sue them. There are laws about things like that.

[DeltAlum]

Deja,

Your attitude is refreshing, but you miss my point.

First, let me mention that I have been in TV production for over thirty years.

What I'm saying is that it is possible to make very innocent things look very seedy through editing, use of sound and creative writing. And MTV is very good at it.

Reread the comment by the producer on the first post on this thread. He wants to hear sorority women talk about hazing. He's already made up his mind.

This just isn't worth it.

[damasa]

something like this will be interesting to see..but I don't know what motives lie behind MTV and the producers...but I do know that I happened to catch TRL..and there was a guy on there who was supposedly greek, and carson daly (sp?)repeatedly called him "frat-boy" and it seemed to be in an instigating manner...kind of like Carson was doing it on purpose....I don't know tho..that was just my perspective of it.

d

[Dejajeva]

I do understand where you are comming from, I'm just trying to stay postive. I understand you're experience and knowledge on the subject.

"frat boy" also, on TRL played RIGHT into the typical "frat boy" connotaion. It's like he was "acting" the sterotype.

I'm just trying to play devils advocate and trying to get people to think a little more critically past their own set ideas. There are other ways to look at it, and I want people to try to look for more positive things in life..


Jess

Sure, we can look for the positive, but there is certainly nothing positive about a show whose main purpose is to expose and perpetuate the negative stereotypes. There are already WAY TOO MANY stereotypes out there...and the last thing we need is confirmation!

If there is a hazing or drug/alcohol abuse problem within a sorority, then it's not our business. It should be taken care of with their national headquarters or the appropriate local committee. Their dirty laundry should not be our business. Even if my sorority is not involved, I know that a program like that would affect me and sorority women everywhere.

It is *NOT* the responsibility of the media (especially MTV) to present the positive sides of being in a sorority. We do it all the time by being active on the campus/community or even by keeping our grades up. Sometimes the media will take notice, but, realistically speaking, most of them would rather deal with hazing/alcohol issues because technically, those are the issues that "sell".

It is my hope that none of you are involved with this show, and I also hope that no NPC/NPHC/Local/Multi-Cultural/Asian/Latina-Interest Sorority will accept MTV's offer.

[ilovemyglo]

On my campus it is hard enough to get PR from the student paper and one of my sisters is a head editor. They don't want to tell everyone when we do good stuff or help out, and they always! ALWAYS print the letters to the editor trashing greeks.
I am in broadcasting, too. Let me tell you, if a story isn't "Sexy" then it won't get ratings. They have to get some dirt. That is the only way to make it interesting.. it isn't interesting when you have 75 women in a group that do community service, take care of one another, and get along. However, sororities are secret societies to an extent and if they could get some girls that are having some problems, trashing another sorority or drinking and partying... that would so get ratings. That is what they are looking for. On my campus, I know for a fact, that they could go to two sororities and have one hell of a show and the other five they would be what we, as Greeks, would expect, but who would that want? I know I am in broadcasting and it is my responsibility to present the truth, at the same time it is a business and so I know I have to sell things too! Last year we did a date auction (of men) with a radio station and raised 4,000 and they hated giving us the good publicity, I remember some of them making comments to the effect "It goes against all that the media has said in the past and is hypocritical". How sad.. how very sad. And for what ever sorority does this, (WE ALL KNOW SOMEONE WILL BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME) I feel sorry for them because they really don't know what they are getting into! And Deja I know you are just being devil's advocate, but we always have to remember the golden rule of TV
RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS

[33girl]

I totally agree with everything DeltAlum has said where MTV is concerned. Yes they do have shows like "Fight for Your Rights" which is a positive thing. But I've been watching MTV since its inception (darn near, anyway) and they didn't give a crap about anybody fighting for any rights until it became "sexy" or "current" programming.

Look at the Hawaii season of Real World. Amaya's every fault was blown completely out of proportion, and every time she mentioned being in a sorority it was license to rip her apart. Meanwhile in that same house you had Kaia, one of the most pretentious, backstabbing humans ever featured on television, and Ruthie, the thong-flashing alcoholic. They were both portrayed as "cool." If I had any doubts about MTV's negative stance on Greek life, that erased them 100%.

Finally, if you can find it, Joe from Real World Miami wrote an expose on how fake the whole Real World experience was - the directors set up many of the moments between himself and his girlfriend, had them actually redo fights because they didn't get it all on tape.

I would believe the Weekly World News (current cover story: BILL CATCHES HILLARY WITH SPACE ALIEN!) before I would believe anything presented as "documentary" on MTV.

[XO_Princess]

I still watch MTV alot, but there is no way in heck I or any of my sisters, in our right minds, would do this show. I can't remember who said it-sorry -but they have already made up their minds about what they want to hear about :hazing. I just don't know how accurately they would portray Greek life. I think that alot of thier younger viewers would take what they show as "the way it really is" and carry incorrect stereotypes in their minds. And it's true, they are future rushees.

I can't remember who said this either-I'm so sorry!-but it is up to us, and not MTV to make our glo's look good. I totally agree with that! However, it wouldn't help to show frat guys as binge-drinking rapists, or sorority girls as stuck-up hazing drunk sluts. I'm not saying that's what we are-I'm saying that the portrayl might be one-sided, because admit it: the juicier it is, the more viewers you get.

I agree also, that this doesnt sound too good. It remains me of when I was either a junior or senior in HS, and YM Magazine had this big article on sorority rushes at different schools, including the one I eventually went too. The one they did on UGA definately was NOT helpful to greek life at all. The one they did on Michigan (mine) wasnt bad, but it wasnt necessarily shedding good light.
I think we all just have to wait and see what MTV does with this. Like Deja said MTV has donw great things (i,e. Rock The Vote, The Matthew Shepard Story, and other issues), however they do promote sensationalism also (i,e Real World, Road Rules). Maybe this time MTV will do positive Greek PR. If not now is definately time to start that Greek PR campaign everyone talked about.

[Kymberleigh]

The reality is that TV can twist and misinterpret everything. Sex sells, drama sells, scandle sells... So, I'm pretty sure that MTV isn't looking for the whole picture, but merely a fraction of it so that they can mold that into whatever distorted image they think will give them the most viewers.

I know that TriDelta Nationals has already informed all chapters that they are not allowed to be involved with anything MTV has to do. And for good reason.

Kymberleigh

[moe.ron]

"Maybe this time MTV will do positive Greek PR. "

Maybe MTV will start playing music video again. Never happen, both the positive Greek PR and playing music video.

[maggieaxid]

i think most organizations have to get their national's permission to use their letters on TV. its one of those patent/copywright infringement deals. The only ones who wouldn't be umbrelled in this issue would be locals. I can't imagine any of national panhellenic/inter-frat councils to go for this. i have a sister who works for MTV, i am going to see if she knows anything about this.

[AlphaSigLana]

My chapter was almost in the documentary, but the lady who was searching for houses never took the time to get in touch with nationals to discuss their motives. SO our house never did it. It is probably a good thing that we didn't do it. I feel bad bc I was the one who saw the little bio under casting call and contacted the lady. I thought it would be a great boost if people could see the positive parts of greek life, but I was new in the chapter so I didn't think about the bad way they could portray us. Now that I am a journalism major I have learned that the media has the power to influence how people think w/o stating our opinion we can oneside any situation.

[crazyleggedsigma]

Amen!!!!!!!!

Not that I am trivializing the unfortunate events on our East Coast in THE LEAST, but it is sad that it took something like that for MTV to start playing music again.

Originally posted by Arya
"Maybe this time MTV will do positive Greek PR. "

Maybe MTV will start playing music video again. Never happen, both the positive Greek PR and playing music video.