The network formerly known as muchmusic, Fuse is a division of Rainbow Media, proprietor of relatively successful cable acronyms AMC (American Movie Classics), WE (Women’s Entertainment) and IFC (Independent Film Channel). Re-branded and launched with a vengeance in May 2003, Fuse immediately made it a mission to put the music back in music-TV. Its ads, which can now be seen in major US markets, not only take the stance that music television should play music videos, but also that MTV has forsaken its charter in executing this duty, thusly assigning MTV a responsibility that A) it never assumed, and B) it has largely tried to accomplish through its (albeit poorly-incubated) progeny all-music-video network MTV2.

In the US, Fuse is currently available in 31 million homes while MTV2 reaches 49 million (MTV more than doubles Fuse with 86 million households). Fuse claims that, through a fusion of television, mobile technology and the Internet, it “does not dictate to its audience,” but instead provides programming that is “informed and guided by viewer input.” In this, Fuse is like a college friend who discovers a quote by Marx and becomes an opportunistic spokesperson for a proletariat that is completely unknown to it on any kind of personal basis.

Self-proclaimed, Fuse is “the nation’s only all-music, viewer-influenced, television network, featuring music videos, exclusive artist interviews, live concerts and specials -- all rooted in music.” To begin with, all television is viewer-influenced. MTV could just as easily make this claim. If viewers don’t view, the program gets cancelled: viewer influence in its rawest form.

The problem for Fuse is that, even if it means to say that viewers have a direct affect on programming, it is still not exclusive in this domain. MTV and MTV2 have call-in and web-influenced segments where viewers can affect real-time programming. To further invalidate Fuse’s statement, both MTV and MTV2 feature exclusive artist interviews, live concerts and specials, which are, that’s right, rooted in music. True, the original MTV network has of late featured much more original programming which is not grounded in the format of the music video, but that is exactly what MTV2 was created for.

In truth, Fuse is attempting to take advantage of a pop-culture cliché and in the process is underestimating the intelligence of the same audience that it credits (at least in the press) with being highly media savvy. The newbie network’s further problem is that, instead of truly being original, it is simply trying to out-MTV MTV. Fuse’s entire branding campaign is based on a not-altogether-sophisticated sleight of hand. In hopes of building buzz, the upstart is ignoring MTV2 (its real competition) and focusing on complaints about MTV circa 1993.

As with all misguided and failed revolutions, positive phenomenon can be cited. Firstly, with a monopoly on music-television, MTV (which also controls music-TV network VH1) could stand a little competition. Secondly, one Fuse network feature, Fuse On Demand, promises, like a giant visual truck-stop jukebox, to offer digital cable subscribers the dandy option of customizable music-video playlists through access to Fuse’s music-video library.

Vive la crappy television revolution.

Abram D. Sauer, former columnist for The China Daily and co-founder of Chopstickfactory.com, lives in New York and welcomes freelance opportunities.