Organizers of the MTV Video Music Awards have warned attendees to avoid risqué outfits and unruly on-air conduct as the ceremony prepares to air on CBS for the first time after four decades on MTV, according to reporting by the Daily Mail citing The Sun.
The Sun told the Daily Mail that performers and guests were informed they cannot wear anything “raunchy” and that cursing and other “unbecoming behavior” will not be tolerated ahead of Sunday’s broadcast, set for Sept. 7. An unnamed insider was quoted saying, “CBS and MTV have significantly different rules and guidelines that they each have to abide by.” The Mail’s report said the move is expected to produce a more restrained show than some previous years.
The VMAs have a history of headline-making moments, including Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift on stage and provocative performances that drew wide attention. The ceremony’s transfer to a broadcast network follows 40 years on MTV and, according to reporting, has triggered revised guidelines aimed at aligning content and language with CBS’s broadcast standards.
The Daily Mail also reported that an A-list performer is set to return to the VMAs after a five-year absence, though the outlet did not provide further identifying details in its report. The forthcoming broadcast will be closely watched for whether the programming changes alter the event’s tone or format.
The reports did not specify how the restrictions will be enforced on the red carpet or during live segments. Representatives for CBS and MTV did not provide public comment in the accounts cited by the Daily Mail, which relayed The Sun’s characterizations and the unnamed insider’s remarks.
The VMAs have often balanced live moments that generate social-media attention with broadcast and sponsor considerations. As the ceremony moves to a network with different content standards, producers and performers will navigate those expectations in a live-television environment where language and costume choices can affect advertiser relationships and audience reach.
Sunday’s telecast will offer a first look at how the VMAs adapt to the new platform and rules. Viewers and industry observers will likely assess whether the changes produce a noticeably different broadcast or whether high-profile moments continue to punctuate the annual event.