Women Who Influenced Early MTV

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams enjoyed researching how MTV launched careers beyond the original five VJs. Talented women creatives had a new outlet at the intersection of video, musical and visual arts. MTV's rise came as cable TV's coverage of middle America plugged MTV directly into consumer living rooms. Decades later, Cynthia observes, sexism in the industry is rarely discussed. She profiles of women on the business side, agents of performers and video artists.—Cynthia Bemis Abrams

Resource: I Want My MTV: the Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum

Note: At one point, I suggest that the battle-tested video vet Sharon Oreck has enough stories to write a book. Well she did, in 2010. It's called Video Slut: How I Shoved Madonna Off an Olympic High Dive, Got Prince into a Pair of Tiny Purple Woolen Underpants, Ran Away from Michael Jackson's ... So I Could Bring Rock Videos to the Masses.