Tom Freston’s Memoir ‘Unplugged’ Reveals That Success Can Follow Many Paths

Tom Freston, the former MTV chief who once guided the network into a global powerhouse, has just released a memoir that challenges the idea that success follows a straight line.

A Career That Began With a Gap Year

Freston, 80, earned an MBA at New York University before taking a gap year. He left a Madison Avenue advertising agency in January 1972 after a girlfriend’s comment about selling toilet paper. He then hitchhiked through France, Spain and the Sahara Desert, a journey that would shape his future.

Building MTV Into a Global Powerhouse

In 1980, Freston met Bob Pittman, who was looking to launch a music network. Pittman was skeptical of Freston’s resume, but the former advertising executive convinced him to join MTV. By 1987, Freston was running MTV Networks, steering the brand into worldwide markets and cultivating a culture that “was irreverent and edgy and nonhierarchical.”

The Rise and Fall of MTV

Freston credits music playing in his office as a key to keeping employees creative. He said, “If you try to run it in a classic MBA style, it would have been rejected.” He also noted that the network’s decline was tied to streaming and record companies refusing to grant online rights. When he sees the network’s legacy now, he compares it to “seeing your old high school burning down.”

A Sudden Ouster and New Directions

Sumner Redstone’s impatience led to Freston’s ouster as CEO of Viacom in 2006. He reflected, “It was a good thing, because I’m a loyal guy and I probably would have stayed longer. In a way I got fired at the apex of the TV revolution. The digital guys were just starting to have an impact in a big way. So I really didn’t have to deal with those unpleasant facts and challenges.”

Return to Afghanistan and the ONE Campaign

After leaving Viacom, Freston freelanced, advising Oprah Winfrey and Vice. He returned to Afghanistan, working with entrepreneur Saad Mohseni on a television network. The Taliban’s 2021 takeover ended the project, and Freston has not returned. He said, “I had a death sentence put on me by the Taliban. They say we’re all friends now, but I don’t want to take the chance.”

Bono, the ONE Campaign, and a Late‑Night Anecdote

Freston’s board membership at the ONE Campaign began after a night of partying in the Riviera. He recalls Bono telling a server to pick a U2 song: “Pick a U2 song,” Bono told the server. “Any one!” She chose “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and the famous frontman channeled Frank Sinatra as he sang his classic. The waitress was the only one left to clap.

“I Was Improvising” and the Bebop Lifestyle

Throughout his memoir, Freston emphasizes improvisation. He said, “I was improvising,” he said. “It was like a bebop lifestyle, hitting notes instead of having a long, set classical structure.” This philosophy guided his decisions from MTV to his humanitarian work.

Advice for Younger Generations

Freston hopes his story will inspire young people to consider multiple paths to success. He urged, “If you’re young, you should take some chances,” he said. “Take a risk. Go see the world. The world is the best classroom. Look at the United States from another person’s perspective. You’ll make yourself more interesting as a candidate for a job when you come back.”

Key Takeaways

• Tom Freston’s memoir, “Unplugged,” documents a career that spanned MTV, Viacom, Afghanistan, and the ONE Campaign.
• He attributes MTV’s success to an irreverent, nonhierarchical culture and its decline to streaming and licensing hurdles.
• Freston’s advice to young people is to embrace risk, travel, and alternative learning experiences.

Closing

In “Unplugged,” Tom Freston offers a candid look at a life that refused to follow a single trajectory. His story reminds readers that success can be found in many directions, not just the straight line.