MTV (British and Irish TV channel)
MTV is a British pay television channel focusing on reality TV and music programming operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia.
"MTV1" redirects here. For the television set manufactured by Sinclair Radionics, see MTV-1.Country
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Ireland
London, United Kingdom
English
MTV +1 (2008-2020)
1 July 1997
MTV UK & Ireland (1997–2004)
MTV UK (2004–2007)
MTV One (2007–2009)
Watch live (UK & Ireland only)
Watch live (UK and Ireland only)
Watch live (UK only)
The channel launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localisation strategy in 1997. MTV UK (previously MTV UK & Ireland; MTV One) was launched on 1 July 1997. The channel was set up to provide audiences with local artists and more relevant music content. Prior to the localisation of MTV in Europe, the region was served by MTV Europe which was launched on 1 August 1987. Since February 2011 MTV has been solely an entertainment channel.[1][2]
The channel is in over 10 million homes in the UK and Ireland.[3]
Availability[edit]
From its inception, MTV UK (then branded as MTV UK & Ireland) the network served United Kingdom and Ireland. For a short period the channel was made available free-to-air in New Zealand between July 1997 to June 1998[4] under a special agreement between TVNZ and MTV Networks Europe. The channel was broadcast on analogue from the Astra 1A satellite as part of the Sky Multichannels subscription package. In April 2001, the channel became a digital-only channel within the UK and Ireland.
History[edit]
1987–2001[edit]
MTV first became available in the UK when MTV Europe launched on 1 August 1987. On July 1, 1997, at 06:00 Western European time, MTV UK began broadcasting in the UK and Ireland as part of MTV Networks Europe's regionalisation strategy. The first video clip shown on the air was "Three Lions" by The Lightning Seeds.[5] MTV UK & Ireland launched with specialised content of hit MTV Europe shows which included the Euro Top 20, MTV Select, MTV News, MTV News Weekend Edition, Non-Stop Hits, US Top 20 Hitlist UK, Stylissimo, The Big Picture, Up 4 It and The Lick. The channel promoted mainly English-speaking music programming and music.
In 1999, MTV Networks Europe announced that it would expand its channel portfolio within the UK and Ireland. On 1 July 1999, MTV launched MTV Base and MTV Extra. MTV UK & Ireland also rebranded with a new schedule and on-air presentation.
2002–2010[edit]
In 2002, MTV began to air programming from MTV US, similar to other MTV channels in Europe. MTV began to drop some of its localised programming in favour of MTV US shows. These shows included Jackass, Date My Mom and Dismissed. Despite targeted efforts to play certain types of music videos in limited rotation, MTV greatly reduced its overall rotation of music videos throughout the first decade of the 2000s. While music videos dominated the channel in early 2000-2002 the rate of music rotation declined rapidly. Similar trends are noted on other European MTV channels and other sister networks in the US.
In July 2007, MTV in the UK was renamed to 'MTV One' with a major new branding launching across most of the MTV channels. MTV2 was renamed 'MTV Two' to follow the consistent branding across the channels. Promotion started on 1 July 2007 under the title 'MTV New 22.07.07'.[6] The rebrand saw viewers engaging with the channel.[7] In early 2009, it was announced that MTV One would be rebranded as simply MTV and the one-hour timeshift MTV One +1 as MTV +1 on 1 July 2009.[8]
For most of 2008, MTV's main source of music video programming was based on its sister channels MTV Two, MTV Hits, MTV Dance, MTV Base and TMF. As of 2009 the only music based programming on MTV include MTV Push, MTV World Stage and MTV Iggy. These shows are produced by MTV Networks International and are shown on most MTV channels worldwide.
On 1 July 2009 MTV available in the UK and Ireland adopted MTV's global identity as part of MTV International. 64 MTV channels now share similar music and entertainment content and similar on-air and online branding. Part of the rebrand saw a 50/50 balance in the number of music based programming and reality based TV series that air on the channels.[9]
From 2010, MTV increased its music output which has since been diluted by reality based television programmes. As part of a global strategy MTV music content with the launch of MTV World Stage and Friday Night Music, both shows helped to maintain MTV's audience figures.
2011–present[edit]
On 1 February 2011, MTV removed all music from the channel and moved it to newly launched channel MTV Music; the only music that remains is the occasional MTV Most Wanted strand. The channel became a general entertainment channel and was moved to the entertainment section of Sky's EPG at channel 126, with MTV +1 moving to 160. The move resulted in an increase in the channel's audience share of nearly 150% in the 6 weeks after the change, while viewing was down nearly 20% on Virgin Media during the same period, where the channel had yet to move.[10] On 29 May 2013 MTV was moved to the entertainment section of Virgin Media's EPG on channel 134.[2]
MTV was rebranded once again to the current logo on 1 July 2011, and began broadcasting in 16:9 widescreen at the same time. A high-definition simulcast of MTV launched on 13 February 2012 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.[1]
In 2016, MTV started showing repeats of Big Brother UK in the UK, the day following its broadcast on Channel 5.
Beginning in 2022, some MTV-branded channels began to appear on the British version of the Paramount-owned streaming platform Pluto TV - the move followed on from the establishment of similar streams on Pluto in other territories. The streams are, like the rest of the Pluto TV channels, available at no cost to viewers. As of May 2023, the available services included:
Former and temporary feeds have included:
Original MTV logo used from 1997 to 2007 and again from 1 July 2009 to 1 July 2011.
MTV One logo used from 22 July 2007 to 30 June 2009.
MTV logo used from 1 July 2011 to 14 September 2021.
MTV logo used from 14 September 2021 – present.
