MTV Classic (UK & Ireland)

MTV Classic
Launched 1 July 1999
Network MTV (UK & Ireland)
Owned by Viacom International Media Networks Europe
Picture format 16:9, 576i (SDTV)
Audience share UK:
0.02%
0.17% (HD) (August 2018 (2018-08), BARB)
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Broadcast area United Kingdom and Ireland
Headquarters London, United Kingdom
Formerly called VH1 Classic (1999–2010)
Sister channel(s)
Website mtv.co.uk/mtv-classic
Availability
Satellite
Sky Channel 356
Cable
Virgin Media (Ireland) Channel 707
WightFibre Channel 90
IPTV
TalkTalk TV Channel 538
BT TV Channel 538

MTV Classic (formerly VH1 Classic) is a music channel from Viacom International Media Networks Europe. The channel launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 1 July 1999 as VH1 Classic.[1] The channel focuses on music videos and music specials from the 1960s onwards, sometimes featuring music videos and concert footage from as early as at least the 1940s or 1950s, such as Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" from 1942. The channel has also occasionally aired videos from the 2000s and early 2010s. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, the first video to air on the original MTV in 1981, was also the first music video to be played when the channel was rebranded as MTV Classic on 1 March 2010.

Since the rebrand, Viacom has rebranded other international channels as MTV Classic. On 1 May 2010, VH1 Australia was rebranded as MTV Classic and on 10 January 2011, MTV Networks Europe launched an Italian version of the same channel, replacing MTV Gold.

MTV Classic began broadcasting in widescreen on 6 March 2012.

Temporary rebrands

Viacom occasionally rebrands MTV Classic to a different name to air different kinds of music.

  • MTV Xmas: From 23 November 2013 to 27 December 2013, the channel was temporarily rebranded as MTV Xmas, playing only Christmas-themed music.[2] This has been repeated from 14 November 2014 to 26 December 2014 and every year since.
  • MTV Summer: From 1 August 2014 to 1 September 2014, the channel was temporarily rebranded as MTV Summer, playing only summer-themed music. This has been repeated from 29 June 2015 to 3 August 2015, replacing MTV Pride.
  • MTV Love: From 29 January 2015 to 16 February 2015, the channel was temporarily rebranded as MTV Love, playing only love songs.
  • MTV Pride: From 27 June 2015 to 29 June 2015, the channel was temporarily rebranded as MTV Pride to coincide with Pride Weekend in celebration of diversity and equality which celebrated LGBT life by playing gay music icons from the likes of Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, Cher and Pink. This was replaced by MTV Summer on 29 June 2015 and was repeated again at the end of June 2016 for a weekend.
  • MTV 90s: From the end of May to the end of June 2016, the channel rebranded as MTV 90s playing 90s music videos and select Nickelodeon shows from the 90s like Clarissa Explains It All and Kenan & Kel.

Availability

The channel is available in the United Kingdom on Sky, BT TV and TalkTalk Plus TV and in Ireland on Sky and Virgin Media Ireland.

MTV Classic was previously available on Virgin Media UK but it was removed from the platform on 28 August 2010, along with MTV +1 and MTV Shows, to make room for Comedy Central HD.[3]

On-air identity

MTV Classic's on-air identity is similar to MTV's international identity. MTV Classic utilises the new MTV logo along with specially commissioned idents by ICC.[4] These idents are also used on other MTV Classic channels around the world including MTV Classic Australia, which launched in May 2010.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "MTV Announce Channel Changes". Entertainment Focus. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011.
  2. ↑ Welsh, Daniel (18 November 2013). "MTV to launch dedicated Christmas channel". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Three MTV channels leave Virgin Media". The Airwaves. 26 August 2010. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "ICC". Vimeo. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
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