Here's MTV's opening from August 1, 1981. Being on emerging cable, they didn't cover the whole country when they started. Large parts of the west coast didn't even get MTV until they were picked up by L.A.'s Group W Cable on this day (January 22) in 1983.
But here are the original VJs: Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter (whose approach looked it like a network news show), Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, and Nina Blackwood. Of course, you can still hear Nina on our "Absolutely 80s Show." Enjoy this brief look as MTV was born: