London: Of all the images synonymous with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, MTV's distinctive three-letter logo may seem the least likely.
But there it is on the umbrella of a fresh-faced German guard as he stands on top of the wall in its final moments, an unwitting symbol of the sweeping change the city was going through.
In early November 1989, executives from MTV found themselves in Berlin for a seminar. Noticing the momentum for change, Bill Roedy (now MTV's chief executive) decided to expand access to the channel in east Berlin.
By November 7, MTV had succeeded in giving hotels and conference centres access to the channel for the first time. Two days later, the Berlin Wall fell.
In the absence of 24-hour news channels, many watched events as they unfolded on MTV. "MTV has always had a very strong connection with Berlin," says Roedy. "Not only were we there when the wall came down, but five years later we inaugurated the first MTV Europe Music Awards at the Brandenburg Gate."
In the meantime the MTV Europe Music Awards have become a fixture, staged everywhere from Liverpool to Lisbon, hosted by everyone from Tom Jones to Xzibit, and have attracted all sorts keen to rub shoulders with music stars.
