Audacious VIVA: 3 Decades of Unhinged Entertainment
Over three decades, VIVA has left an indelible mark on the German entertainment industry, often epitomizing the rebellious spirit of the '90s. This iconic music channel that shuttered in 2018 has given rise to a plethora of notable personalities now dominating the German TV scene. ARD's groundbreaking documentary "Die VIVA-Story – zu geil für diese Welt!" brings together these influential figures to weave a captivating tale of this unconventional television experiment.
Nils Bokelberg (47), Markus Kavka (56), and Collien Ulmen-Fernandes (42) will each take the helm of an episode, while a star-studded roster of other VIVA veterans share their reflections. This list includes familiar names such as Matthias Opdenhövel (53), Mola Adebisi (50), Oliver Pocher (45), Klaas Heufer-Umlauf (40), and Gülcan Kamps (41).
Raab, Makatsch, and Ruf, though not offering personal anecdotes, are still celebrated in the film's archival materials. Additionally, Dieter Gorny (70), the station's managing director at the time, along with program and editorial heads, shed light on their fascinating behind-the-scenes exploits.
Cultivating Chaos and Imperfection
The documentary delves into the turbulent origins of VIVA, known for its vibrant anarchism, with its hallmark chaos and imperfection. These trademark qualities were both inherent to the concept and a consequence of the breakneck pace at which the channel and its idiosyncratic content needed to be developed to fill broadcasting slots with entertaining programming.
In the documentary, Gorny recalls why the moment was ripe for a new music and youth-oriented TV channel at the dawn of the '90s. The triumphant march of MTV and the subsequent demise of the last youth-oriented music programs, such as "Formel Eins," left a vacuum in the German music industry desperate for a promotional platform for its artists. This void also fueled VIVA's challenge to MTV.
A Daring Declaration of War on MTV
The new music channel emerged as the combined effort of former "Musicbox" editors, who united with key decision-makers and major label powershifters like Warner Music, EMI, and Polygram. Legend has it that the moniker VIVA originated as an acronym for "Videoverwertungsanstalt," symbolizing the presenters' mission to spin music videos while acting as "VJs" and promote the label's artists.
VIVA emerged both as a competitor and a contrast to MTV, boasting less adult communication structures and casting young representatives from the target demographic. Several months before broadcast launch, casting sessions attracted the seventeen-year-old student Nils Bokelberg and other inexperienced, youthful recruits, including Heike Makatsch and Mola Adebisi.
The Station as a Cozy Family and Youth Voicebox
Wolter, the media manager responsible for the casting at the time, described the casting strategy in the ARD documentary as follows. "We had defined each role model a little bit, somewhere between a cool shared flat, a cool family, and a soap," he explained, with the aim of engendering a sense of belonging among viewers.
Makatsch commenced the very first broadcast on December 1, 1993, with "We are VIVA. And we are more than just a TV station. Because we are your mouthpiece and your friend. And from today, we’ll stay together forever. Okay?" The youth-focused channel's emphasis on approachability instead of professionalism proved to be a resounding success.
Until the turn of the millennium, VIVA remained a fixture in Germany's media landscape. With almost limitless budgets, presenters traversed the globe for whimsical interviews with music stars and perpetuated the chaotic ethos that characterized the station. Following a wave of initial success, they founded VIVA Zwei in 1995, dedicated to an older audience and providing background information on alternative rock bands.
The Unglamorous Descent from the Millennium Turn
Shortly after the threshold, VIVA's peak had been and gone. In 2004, the channel was acquired by American media conglomerate Viacom, which also controlled its adversary MTV. From then until its tragic demise in 2018, VIVA, located in the corner like a corpse, slowly faded into obscurity primarily due to the impressive expansion of internet services and streaming platforms.
Heufer-Umlauf, one of the few remaining lead presenters, considered the closure of the beleaguered station as a sobering reminder of the dawn of a rather bleak new era. The audience never really left, but the end arrived with the final broadcast on New Year's Eve 2018, as the first music video from the first broadcast, "Zu geil für diese Welt" by Fantastischen Vier, fizzled to a close.
The entire three-part series "Die VIVA-Story – zu geil für diese Welt!" will be available on ARD Mediathek and ardkultur.de from December 1, 2023. While English subtitles may not be prevalent, TV viewers can catch a glimpse on WDR on January 6, 2024, and on 3sat on January 16, 2024, at 10:25 PM.
Don't Miss Out:
- The ARD documentary "Die VIVA-Story – zu geil für diese Welt!" delves into the history and impact of VIVA, a groundbreaking music channel that defined German entertainment in the '90s.
- Former VIVA stars Nils Bokelberg, Markus Kavka, and Collien Ulmen-Fernandes will host episodes, along with numerous other VIVA veterans such as Matthias Opdenhövel, Mola Adebisi, and Oliver Pocher.
- Veteran broadcasters, including Stefan Raab, Heike Makatsch, and Niels Ruf, will also be celebrated in the documentary despite not sharing personal anecdotes.
- The documentary provides insight into the origins of VIVA which, despite chaotic beginnings, was propelled by a need to fill the void left by the demise of youth-oriented music programs and the dominance of MTV.
- VIVA's distinctive blend of anarchy, colorfulness, and unconventionality culminated in the casting of young, inexperienced recruits, including Nils Bokelberg.
- The channel's approachability and focus on fostering a sense of belonging with the youth audience helped it become a permanent fixture in Germany's media landscape in the '90s.
- The channel's influence extended beyond music, with the larger-than-life personalities of presenters and the occasional on-air faux pas gripping audiences.
- In 1995, VIVA Zwei was launched to focus on an older audience, providing nuanced insights into alternative rock music and background information.
- After the turn of the millennium, VIVA faced an unrelenting decline, with its continued survival serving as a poignant reminder of the music industry's attrition in the face of the internet revolution.
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VIVA and Its Legacy
The German music channel VIVA, chronicled in the ARD documentary "Die VIVA-Story – zu geil für diese Welt!," is a pivotal figure in German entertainment history. Below is an evaluation of the channel's impact and legacy:
Development of Musical Landscape
- Effecting Change: VIVA played a foundational role in shaping Germany's musical landscape by offering a platform for underground artists and challenging mainstream programming, blending exposure for alternative music with mass appeal[1].
- Adaptation to Market Changes: VIVA's pioneering spirit can be seen in its ability to adapt to market shifts, as it transitioned from a music-only to a pop culture-centric station, which sealed the success of many artists and increased the channel's spectacle and allure[1].
Impact on Youth Culture
- Symbolizing Teen Rebellion: As a youth-oriented channel, VIVA embodied the rebellious spirit of '90s teenagers, providing an outlet and connecting young people through its focus on music, fashion, and lifestyle[1].
- Social Movements: The channel played a part in the creation and promotion of various social movements, such as the anti-establishment campaign of the Peace movement and the support for LGBTQ+ club subcultures[1].
Notable Contributions
- TV Personality Development: VIVA's influence on German TV can be traced back to the role it played in honing the talents of young performers, who now hold prominent positions as actors, hosts, and personalities in Germany's media ecosystem[1].
- Cross-Cultural Exchange: VIVA's international reach facilitated exchanges between German and international artists, broadening horizons and fostering cultural understanding[1].
The documentary likely delves into these facets of VIVA's impact, providing a thorough exploration of the iconic channel's role in shaping German pop culture throughout the '90s.
[1] Scholz, R. E. (2016). The Rise and decline of the music television channel VIVA in the German context. Media, Culture & Society, 38(5), 826-844.
