VJ
Encyclopedia
A video jockey is an announcer who introduces and plays videos on commercial music television such as the United States' MTV
, VH1
, Fuse TV
, non-commercial TVU
, Canada's MuchMusic
, and Asia's Channel V
. Other alternative names for a VJ include "VDJ" (Video DJ) and "MVJ" (Mobile VJ).
", "DJ" (deejay) as used in radio. The term was popularised in the 1980s by the Music Television Network (MTV)
. (See List of MTV VJs.)
The founders of MTV got their idea from studying Merrill Aldighieri, the person to invent the job of Video Jockey and its term. Merrill worked in the New York nightclub HURRAH which was the first public arena featuring video with music in New York City. When Merrill was invited to show her experimental film in the club, she ask if she could first develop a use for video to complement the DJ music so that when her film would be played, it would become part of a club ambiance and not be seen as a break in the evening. The experiment was such a success she was offered a full-time job.
Several months later the future-founders of MTV started coming to the club regularly, interviewing her and taking notes. She told them she was a VJ, the term she invented with a staff member to put on her first payslip. Her video jockey memoirs have a complete list of all the live music she documented during her VJ breaks. There are over 100 hours of seminal recordings of new wave, post punk, experimental, jazz, and many other musical genres.
Her method of performing as a video jockey consisted of improvising live clips using a video camera, projected film loops, and switching between 2 U-matic video decks. Many video artists were showcased and contributed raw and finished works. Stock footage was also incorporated. At this inception, the DJ was already the controller of the music, and the VJ was the visual adjunct. In the next incarnation of Merrill's pioneering work as a VJ she worked at Danceteria where there was a video lounge and the dancefloor was on a separate level. This change in architecture influenced the role of VJ to incorporate any and all sound sources available and be free not to focus on dance music as the only criterion for the audio.
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
, non-commercial TVU
TVU Music channel
TVU Music Television is a commercial-free, Christian rock television network which broadcasts through the Internet, Sky Angel and KTV. TVU began in 2001, and is owned and operated by Spirit Communications Incorporated, and is a fully non-profit, listener-supported station...
, Canada's MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
, and Asia's Channel V
Channel V
Channel [V] is the brand name for multiple international music television networks owned by STAR TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation.-Channel [V] International:...
. Other alternative names for a VJ include "VDJ" (Video DJ) and "MVJ" (Mobile VJ).
Origins of the term
The team "video jockey" is a derivative of the term "disc jockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
", "DJ" (deejay) as used in radio. The term was popularised in the 1980s by the Music Television Network (MTV)
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. (See List of MTV VJs.)
The founders of MTV got their idea from studying Merrill Aldighieri, the person to invent the job of Video Jockey and its term. Merrill worked in the New York nightclub HURRAH which was the first public arena featuring video with music in New York City. When Merrill was invited to show her experimental film in the club, she ask if she could first develop a use for video to complement the DJ music so that when her film would be played, it would become part of a club ambiance and not be seen as a break in the evening. The experiment was such a success she was offered a full-time job.
Several months later the future-founders of MTV started coming to the club regularly, interviewing her and taking notes. She told them she was a VJ, the term she invented with a staff member to put on her first payslip. Her video jockey memoirs have a complete list of all the live music she documented during her VJ breaks. There are over 100 hours of seminal recordings of new wave, post punk, experimental, jazz, and many other musical genres.
Her method of performing as a video jockey consisted of improvising live clips using a video camera, projected film loops, and switching between 2 U-matic video decks. Many video artists were showcased and contributed raw and finished works. Stock footage was also incorporated. At this inception, the DJ was already the controller of the music, and the VJ was the visual adjunct. In the next incarnation of Merrill's pioneering work as a VJ she worked at Danceteria where there was a video lounge and the dancefloor was on a separate level. This change in architecture influenced the role of VJ to incorporate any and all sound sources available and be free not to focus on dance music as the only criterion for the audio.