We want our real MTV

Fear for political correctness is not just American. MTV Europe sent a memo to its offices after the war in Iraq broke out detailing "suggested" videos to be avoided during these times of trouble. \nIncluded on the list are System of a Down's "Boom!" (directed by Michael Moore and containing "facts and figures about ... the projected casualties in the war in Iraq"), Aerosmith's "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" (for footage from the film "Armageddon") and Outkast's "Bombs Over Baghdad" (for the title). \nThe memo, distributed by Mark Sunderland, MTV Europe's broadcast standards manager, calls for adherence to the rules set out by the UK's Independent Television Commission. His memo said the station must follow the ITC guidelines for stations to not show anything that "offends against good taste or is offensive to public feeling." For MTV Europe, Sunderland wrote that this means his stations should not show footage with war, soldiers, war planes, bombs, missiles, riots, executions or "other obviously sensitive material."\nIt's too bad Sunderland feels that the citizens in MTV Europe's viewership are too sensitive for facts, representations of what is happening around the world or protests against the war. \nMedia serve no purpose if they avoid the slightly reprehensible. The press (and with its news coverage MTV counts as partial member of this crowd) was born to challenge and inform. If one of the largest youth entertainment and information providers tries to avoid the statements artists make because they might offend the audience, MTV isn't doing its job. \nNot just news providers have a responsibility to their viewers. Entertainment outlets do too. People deserve to be presented new ideas and deserve to be challenged. If a video contains offensive material, it might cause some viewers to change the dial -- but it will make others question what is going on in the world and what they are told by other media outlets. \nBeyond this, the station is shafting its artists in holding back their material. It isn't censorship because it isn't directed by the government, but it's worse. When one of the largest music distributors sends the message to artists that their views don't meet sensitivity requirements, it is bound to affect the musical arena. Musicians and artists are (usually) one of the few groups of free-thinkers left in the world. When they are buried in political correctness or pressured to turn to self-censorship, who's to say their fans won't follow? \nPromote the arts, MTV Europe. Don't destroy them.\n-- Jessica Halverson for the Editorial Board