Channel '' ("V" standing for the letter, not the Roman numeral "5") is a Chinese and former Asian pay television

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

network originally launched by Star TV Hong Kong (now Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific). It was part of the unit of Disney International Operations, and was launched back in September 1991 to replace the first incarnation of

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's Asian operation before it was shutdown on October 1, 2021. The Mainland Chinese version is later owned by

Star China Media Star China Media () is a Chinese media company currently owned by China Media Capital. The company operates television channels Xing Kong and Channel V Mainland China, and maintains Fortune Star film library. Its businesses were previously a p ...

, and is still operational, since they're a subsidiary of China Media Capital. The Australian channels were later owned by

Foxtel Foxtel is an Australian pay television company—operating in cable television, direct broadcast satellite television, and IPTV streaming services. It was formed in April 2018, superseding an earlier company from 1995. The service was establi ...

before their closure. Channel previously operated either a local feed or a relay of the international version in Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Thailand or localized versions in India, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Australia.

History

Early years

MTV Asia (15 September 1991–2 May 1994)

Channel was originally launched on 15 September 1991 as MTV Asia (). It was an

24-hour The modern 24-hour clock, popularly referred to in the United States as military time, is the convention of timekeeping in which the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours. This is indicated by the hours (and minutes) pas ...

music channel broadcast in English, Hindi and Chinese, focused on pop music. The STAR TV Network, which is based in

British Hong Kong Hong Kong was a colony and later a dependent territory of the British Empire from 1841 to 1997, apart from a period of occupation under the Japanese Empire from 1941 to 1945 during the Pacific War. The colonial period began with the Briti ...

(now called Hong Kong,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

since 1997), operated the channel in partnership with Viacom in the United States, which owned MTV-branded regional music channels there. The channel was broadcast across the continent of Asia, reaching from the Far East to the Middle East, as with the

AsiaSat 1 AsiaSat 1 was a Hong Kong communications satellite, which was owned, and was operated, by the Hong Kong based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company. It was positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 100.5° East. It spent its oper ...

's footprint. The STAR TV Network have since regionalized the channel to serve its huge viewerships. On 2 May 1994, MTV Asia left the STAR TV Network as a result of the contract with Viacom expired.

Channel (27 May 1994–30 September 2021)

On 27 May 1994, Channel was launched as a replacement of MTV Asia with VJs (who used to work on MTV Asia) celebrating on air from various locations; the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Downtown Tokyo, the Himalayas etc. At the same time, Channel officially 'split' its beam, in effect, providing two separate services for different regional audiences within the

's footprint. This enables the channel to provide appropriate programming and viewing time for its viewers from different regions in Asia. On 5 June 1994, Channel has opened up its production facilities in Taipei, Taiwan. On 4 July 1994, Sigaw Manila was launched on the Northern Beam. On 1 August 1994, BPL Oye! was launched on the Southern Beam. On 5 June 1994, Channel has opened up its production facilities in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India. On 27 April 1995, the STAR TV Network starts transmitting Channel on the Palapa B2R satellite to Indonesia and the Philippines. On 30 April 1995, Channel has opened up its production facilities in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates producing Sony Yalla!, the first ever Arabic Top 10 Countdown in the Middle East was launched on the Southern Beam. On 4 August 1996, a Thai-localized feed of Channel was launched in Thailand, as carried on Thai cable and satellite providers. This apparently replaced Channel International in the country, but the pan-Asian feed would still be available in Thailand via both AsiaSat and Palapa satellites. In 1997, Channel International was launched in the Middle East on the Middle Eastern digital satellite TV platform Orbit Communications Company as part of the STAR Select package. On 15 July 1997, Channel International was launched in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

on the Japanese digital satellite TV platform SKY PerfecTV!. On 27 April 2021, Disney announced that Channel would be closing down on 1 October as part of its winddown of traditional cable/satellite networks across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong in favor of focusing on both Disney+ and

Disney+ Hotstar The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

, thus the channel space initially created by the first incarnation of MTV Asia in 1991 subsequently ceased to exist, while Channel continues broadcasting in Mainland China as for now.

Operating channels

Current feed

*Mainland China Channel Mainland China is the Chinese branch of the Channel network. It started operating in Mainland China in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. Fox International Channels Asia Pacific sold certain Mandarin language entertainment television channels that target Mainland China, including Channel Mainland China, to China Media Capital. As a result, Channel Mainland China is a part of Star China Media as of 2014. It was broadcast free-to-air on AsiaSat 7. Channel switches between Simplified and Traditional Chinese with selected Channel International programs airing with Chinese subtitles. It was the only feed that was available free-to-air and still on-air as of today.

Current VJs

* Blackie (黑人) * Christine Fan (范范/范瑋琪) * Will Pan (潘瑋柏)

Former feeds

*Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, and International Channel Asia was the flagship of the Channel network. It was founded after MTV Asia separated with the STAR TV Network after the expiration of its contract. It was produced and operated from Hong Kong from January 1994 until January 2002, after which operations and studios were shifted to Malaysia with some aspects still operating in Hong Kong. Since January 1, 2008, Channel International has moved back to its original studio in Hong Kong, which is also the same studio of Channel China and Taiwan. After 27 years of broadcasting, Channel along with most of The Walt Disney Company channels across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong (

Fox Crime Fox Crime (stylized as FOXCRIME) is a television network, launched by the Fox Networks Group, which airs across several countries of Europe, Africa and Asia such as Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Its basic programming include numero ...

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelv ...

, Fox Life, FX, Disney Junior,

Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...

, Nat Geo People, Fox Movies, Fox Action Movies, Fox Family Movies, Star Movies China, SCM Legend, and five of its sports channels) officially ceased broadcasting and transmission on October 1, 2021, at exactly midnight (based on Jakarta's time) with the final music video being M to the B by Millie B.

Former VJs

* Rick Tan * Paula Malai Ali * Cindy Burbridge * Marion Caunter * Angela Chow * Trey Farley * Alessandra * Patrick Lima *

Amanda Griffin Amanda Griffin (born Amanda Claire Ricardo Griffin on 28 September 1979 in Windsor, Berkshire) is an English model and television personality in the Philippines. Griffin is the eldest of three children born in Windsor to an English father and a Fi ...

* Danny McGill * Sophiya Haque *

Cliff Ho Cliffton Ho' (born 19 December 1985) is an international TV host, producer & director. Career In late 2009, Cliff became a DJ & hosted Club Max on 103.5 Max FM. In 2009 Cliff started hosting for Channel V Philippines & soon after Channe ...

* Maya Karin *

Dania Khatib Dania Khatib ( ar, دانية الخطيب; born February 13, 1973) is a Lebanese singer and actress. She began her career as a TV presenter for a local station in Lebanon. She joined Channel V in 1995, becoming the first Arabic VJ on an inter ...

* Dom Lau * Francis Magalona * Rishma Malik * Joey Mead *

Melanie Casul Melanie is a feminine given name derived from the Greek language, Greek μελανία (melania), "blackness" and that from μέλας (melas), meaning "dark".Jonathan Putra Jonathan Putra (born September 12, 1982) is a television host and actor, Channel V VJ, model, and musician. JP, as he is commonly known, was born in Middlesbrough, England, but grew up in McHenry County, Illinois, United States, where he honed ...

Lisa S. Lisa Selesner (born May 26, 1978), professionally known as Lisa S., is an American international model, actress and Channel V veejay based in Hong Kong. Early life Lisa Selesner was born on May 26, 1978 in Monaco to an American mother and a fathe ...

Nicholas Saputra Nicholas Saputra Schubring (born 24 February 1984) is an Indonesian actor and film producer. He first rose to prominence as Rangga in the 2002 hit film ''Ada Apa dengan Cinta?'', a role he reprised in '' Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? 2'' in 2016. He ha ...

Jeremiah Odra Jeremiah, Modern: , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning "Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...

Asha Gill Asha (; also arta ; ae, 𐬀𐬴𐬀, translit=aṣ̌a/arta) is a Zoroastrian concept with a complex and highly nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right(eousness)', 'ord ...

Vivien Tan Vivien may refer to: * Vivien (name), variant spelling * Vivien, Western Australia, an abandoned town in Australia * , a British destroyer launched in 1918 and sold in 1947 for scrapping See also * Saint-Vivien (disambiguation) * Vivienne * ...

* Kamal Sidhu * Sarah Tan *

Ruth Winona Tao Nonie Tao Eu, a.k.a. Nonie (SAG name) and Tao Kwun-Mei 陶君薇 (Cantonese name), is an American-born Chinese film actress, TV personality and MTV Asia and Channel V video jockey and producer in the early 1990s. She hosted Dial MTV, MTV Most Want ...

* Brad Turvey * Georgina Wilson * David Wu *Thailand Channel Thailand was the Thai branch of the Channel network. It is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, GMM Media and TrueVisions. It started operating in Thailand in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. Channel Thailand also officially ceased transmission on October 1, 2021.

Former VJs

* B – Bandit Saokaew * Boss – Chatchavalit Sirisab * Chai – Chartayodom Hiranyasthiti * Earth – San Ittisuknanth * Emme – Amika Boohert * Helen – Prathumrat Berger * Jenny – Genevieve Jane Irwin * Janeen – Janeen Lyons * Loukade –

Metinee Kingpayome Metinee Washington Kingpayome ( th, เมทินี วอชิงตัน กิ่งโพยม, , born 1972), later Metinee Kingpayome Sharples, also known as Lukkade ( th, ลูกเกด, ) is a Thai-American actress, model, televis ...

* Louk-Tarn – Supamat Phahulo * Meaw – Autcharra Sinratchar-tarnon * Nadia –

Nadia Nimitvanich Nadia is a female name. Variations include Nadja, Nadya, Nadine, Nadiya, and Nadiia. Most variations of the name are derived from Arabic, Slavic languages, or both. In Slavic, names similar to ''Nadia'' mean "hope" in many Slavic languages: Ukr ...

* Sunny – Sunissa Brown * Ta-Ngaew – Bussaba Mahatthapong * Team – Kosin Piyakittiphaibun * Terng – Pradorn Sirakovit * Michael – Sirachuch Chienthaworn * Nax – Charlie Potjes ** Alex – Bin Alexandre ** Bank – Puttipong Kongsomsaksakul ** Bas – Panupat Sulanlayalak ** Ake – Eakachai Waricharaporn ** Ja – Natthaweeranuch Thongmee ** Kwan – Sirikwan Chinnachot ** Loukade – Jirada Yohara ** Mike – Michael Kenneth Wong ** Paula –

Paula Taylor Punlapa Margaret Taylor-Buttery (January 20, 1983), also known as Paula Taylor ( th, พอลล่า เทเลอร์) or Thai name Punlapa Supa-aksorn ( th, พัลลภา ศุภอักษร; ), is a Thai actress, model, and ...

** Pitta –

Pitta na Patalung Pittas are a family, Pittidae, of passerine birds found in Asia, Australasia and Africa. There are thought to be 40 to 42 species of pittas, all similar in general appearance and habits. The pittas are Old World suboscines, and their closest r ...

** Woonsen – Virithipa Pakdeeprasong * India (1994–2018) Channel India was the Indian branch of the Channel network. It was operated by

Star India Disney Star Private Limited is an Indian media conglomerate and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company India. It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Disney Star network runs more than 70 TV channels in eight languages, reac ...

. It started operating in India in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. On 1 July 2012, the channel discontinued its musical programming and started focusing on original content through fiction dailies and studio formats that address teenage issues. On 30 June 2016, stopped airing original programming. On 1 August, it rebranded its graphical package. Later, it discontinued operations on 15 September 2018. * Philippines (1994–2012) Channel Philippines was the Filipino branch of the Channel network. It was a joint venture between Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific, Fox International Channels, Previous channel providers and partners like Ermita Electronics Corporation (Channel 23 where MTV Asia also air on the same channel as a first launch), CityNet (Channel 27, A GMA Network affiliate), TV Xtreme Broadcasting Company and Northern Star Productions. It started operating in the Philippines in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. It discontinued operations on 13 July 2012. * Taiwan (1994–2018) Channel Taiwan was the Taiwanese branch of the Channel network. It started operating in Taiwan in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. On 1 September 2012 it was replaced by Fox Taiwan (and later Star World Taiwan), while Channel Taiwan still operated overseas. On 15 July 2018, Channel Taiwan officially shut down. * South Korea (1994–2008) Channel Korea was the Korean branch of the Channel network. It started operating in South Korea in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. * Japan (1994–2002) Channel Japan was the Japanese branch of the Channel network. It started operating in Japan in 1994 as part of Channel Asia. * Australia (1995–2020) Channel Australia was the Australian branch of the Channel network. It was first launched as Red in 1995 and was owned by

. It ceased broadcasting in Australia on 26 February 2016, as it merged with Hits (later rebranded as , focusing only on music video programming and countdowns. V Hits was also formerly known as Club and Channel 2, and ceased broadcasting on July 1, 2020. Former VJs included Osher Günsberg (then "Andy G"), Jabba, James Mathison, Chloe Maxwell and Yumi Stynes.

Programming

References

{{Music industry Television in Thailand Television networks in the Philippines Television networks in South Korea Television stations in Hong Kong Television stations in Taiwan Television in Malaysia Television stations in Indonesia Mass media in Southeast Asia Television channels and stations established in 1991 Television channels and stations disestablished in 2021 English-language television stations Music television channels Former subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company 1991 establishments in Hong Kong