Editing MTV (section)

=== Live concert broadcasts ===
Throughout its history, MTV has covered global benefit concert series live. For most of July 13, 1985, MTV showed the [[Live Aid]] concerts, held in London and Philadelphia and organized by [[Bob Geldof]] and [[Midge Ure]] to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. While the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] network showed only selected highlights during prime-time, MTV broadcast 16 hours of coverage.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=June 29, 2005 |title=Live Aid: A Look Back At A Concert That Actually Changed The World |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1504968/live-aid-a-look-back-at-a-concert-that-actually-changed-the-world/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216031113/http://www.mtv.com/news/1504968/live-aid-a-look-back-at-a-concert-that-actually-changed-the-world/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |publisher=MTV News}}</ref>

Along with [[VH1]], MTV broadcast the [[Live 8]] concerts, a series of concerts set in the [[G8]] states and South Africa, on July 2, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 23, 2005 |title=Live 8 Concerts Will Air on MTV, VH1 |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1504578/live-8-concerts-will-air-on-mtv-vh1/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216031118/http://www.mtv.com/news/1504578/live-8-concerts-will-air-on-mtv-vh1/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |publisher=MTV News}}</ref> Live 8 preceded the [[31st G8 summit]] and the 20th anniversary of Live Aid. MTV drew heavy criticism for its coverage of Live 8. The network cut to commercials, VJ commentary, or other performances during performances. Complaints surfaced on the Internet over MTV interrupting the reunion of [[Pink Floyd]].<ref name="Stung">{{Cite news |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |author2=Gaither, Chris |date=July 7, 2005 |title=MTV Stung by Live 8 Criticism |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jul-07-fi-mtv7-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216031110/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jul-07-fi-mtv7-story.html |archive-date=February 16, 2022}}</ref> In response, MTV president Van Toffler stated that he wanted to broadcast highlights from every venue of Live 8 on MTV and VH1, and clarified that network hosts talked over performances only in transition to commercials, informative segments or other musical performances.<ref name="Defends coverage">{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Maureen |date=July 10, 2005 |title=MTV defends Live 8 coverage |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/07/10/mtv-defends-live-8-coverage/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111183710/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2005-07-10/news/0507100389_1_mtv-and-vh1-van-toffler-mtv-networks-music-group |archive-date=January 11, 2012}}</ref> Toffler acknowledged that "MTV should not have placed such a high priority on showing so many acts, at the expense of airing complete sets by key artists."<ref name="Stung" /> He also blamed the Pink Floyd interruption on a mandatory cable affiliate break.<ref name="Defends coverage" /> MTV averaged 1.4&nbsp;million viewers for its original July 2 broadcast of Live 8.<ref name="Stung" /> Consequently, MTV and VH1 aired five hours of uninterrupted Live 8 coverage on July 9, with each channel airing other blocks of artists.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 7, 2005 |title=MTV, VH1 to Air Live 8 Performances Uninterrupted |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1505406/mtv-vh1-to-air-live-8-performances-uninterrupted/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216031116/http://www.mtv.com/news/1505406/mtv-vh1-to-air-live-8-performances-uninterrupted/ |archive-date=February 16, 2022 |access-date=February 15, 2022 |publisher=MTV News}}</ref>