NickMusic
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York City, New York |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Viacom Media Networks (Viacom) |
| Part of a series on |
| MTV |
|---|
 |
| Programs on MTV |
| MTV personalities |
| Censorship on MTV |
| MTV Generation |
| MTV News |
MTV Hits is an American digital cable television network that is owned by Viacom Media Networks. The channel primarily broadcasts music videos and its format resembles that of MTV before the addition of other programming to that network in the 1990s, and the slow decrease in its reliance on music video programming. Like MTV and VH1's other spin-off channels, MTV Hits is based on an automated "wheel" schedule that was introduced during the early years of MTV2. The loop repeats three times a day, starting at 6 a.m. Eastern Time, and then resetting at 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.
History
When MTV Hits launched on May 1, 2002, its programming consisted entirely of music videos. As with MTV Jams, the network was named for a daily program on MTV; in this case, MTV Hits, which was that network's main pop music video program. The network consisted of current hit music videos, along with a few older videos from earlier in the year, as well as a few from the late 1990s. The network maintained a commercial-free format, outside of internal promotions for MTV and MTV-branded properties.
My Hitlist era (2005–2006)
In 2005, the network began airing a feature called "My Hitlist Month", which was based on viewer selected playlists, submitted to a newly launched network website. This, as well as artist-selected playlists, aired occasionally on the network through 2006.
Playlistism era (2006–2011)
On December 18, 2006, the "Hit List" theme returned to MTV Hits. At first, "Playlistism" consisted of replays of the viewer hit lists from the past, as well as new playlists from sister networks MTV2 and MTVU, as well as artist and themed playlists. In 2009, the network began to accept traditional commercial advertising, which generally consists of direct response advertising and ads for ringtone providers.
March 2012 reimaging
Until March 26, 2012, the network's logo remained the same since its launch, with a minor readjustment in February 2010 of the iconic "M" to remove the Music Television tagline and a small quarter of the logo in line with the official rebranding of all MTV networks. A new logo and imaging was introduced on that date, featuring all text in bold Helvetica, including a minimal-style logo with the 2010 MTV logomark next to the word "Hits". MTV Jams followed with the same reimaging on April 13.
Current programming
The network discontinued many of the playlist shows throughout 2009 and 2010, while keeping the Playlistism name until it faded out entirely by late January 2011, when the network restored its former 'illustration from a music box' imaging to identify the network between commercial blocks. The lower-left banner which formerly listed playlist dedications is now solely dedicated to promotional messages and a rolling advertisement for the network's music video web portal. MTV News segments (usually not pertaining to news but segments about upcoming films and albums) also air on the network, and are currently the only daily presence of the network's news division on any of MTV's American networks.
Generally, except for artists which were popular before the period, all music videos on the channel are from after 1997, with a heavy focus on current music.
Current Lineup
Like BET's spin-off channels formerly branded and operated by MTV and VH1, MTV Hits is based on an automated "wheel" schedule that was introduced during the early years of MTV2. The loop repeats three times a day, starting at 6 a.m. Eastern Time, and then resetting at 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The network's programming is focused mostly on themed blocks, with the general music video programming being The Hit List;
- The Hit List: General hit music videos.
- Fresh Faces: Music videos from new artists.
- Videos We Heart: Quality music videos.
- Killer Collabs: Hit music video collaborations.
- Weekend Shuffle: The week's hit music videos are featured.
- Fierce Females: Music videos from female artists.
- Songs That Don't Suck: General music videos.
- Hits Takeover: An hour-long block of videos from a single artist.
- Pop Playback: Pop music videos.
- New Music Monday: New music videos.
- Man Crush Monday (formerly Guy Candy): Music videos from male artists.
- Latest & Greatest: Featuring two consecutive videos from the same artist, consisting of the artist's current single followed by an older hit.
- MTV Jams (formerly Hip-Hop Hitmakers): Hip-hop music videos are featured under the MTV Jams brand following the rebrand to BET Jams.
- Clubland: Dance videos are presented; this program also airs on MTV.
- Humpday Hits: General music videos, carried on Wednesdays.
- Women Crush Wednesday (or WCW): Females artists are featured.
- Throwback Thursday (or TBT): Classic pop and hip-hop music videos.
Other blocks vary by season.
Video premieres are done every Tuesday, with new videos airing at the top of each hour throughout the day. In October 2012, MTV Hits began simulcasting college-oriented sister network mtvU on weekdays from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET, branded as "mtvU on MTV Hits", allowing for mtvU programming to be seen outside of college campuses, or on cable systems that do not carry the national mtvU feed. This simulcast was discontinued in January 2013.
Availability
MTV Hits, as a part of the MTV Digital Suite, is available on the digital tiers of many cable providers, along with Verizon FiOS, and AT&T U-verse. It is one of the few remaining Digital Suite channels that is not available on DirecTV or Dish Network (the Digital Suite having been created to provide an advantage of digital cable-exclusive channels to providers). One of the last cable holdouts, Time Warner Cable, added the music channels of the Digital Suite in the summer of 2012 as part of a wider agreement to give TWC's tablet application access to Viacom's networks.[1]
International versions
Australia & New Zealand
MTV Hits in Australia launched on 1 November 2010, and is available through Foxtel and Fetch TV.[2][3] MTV Hits launched on Sky TV New Zealand on 1 December 2011. MTV Hits, along with its sister network MTV Classic were merged into one network, MTV Music on 3 December 2013 for Foxtel viewers, and on 23 December 2013 for Fetch TV viewers. MTV Hits in New Zealand was replaced with MTV Music from Australia on 1 December 2015.
Latin America
MTV Hits Latin America is carried on several digital cable systems in Latin America in a localized form. This version still uses the Playlistism model, a remainder of the period when MTV Hits U.S. was broadcast in the region.
UK & Ireland
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, MTV Hits plays chart hits non-stop. There are very few MTV shows on this channel, but there are many music-related themed blocks (such as Urban Beats and Spanking New Music). The channel launched on May 1, 2001, replacing MTV Extra.
Italy
In Italy, MTV Hits plays chart hits non-stop. The channel was launched on August 23, 2003.
Brazil
On January 29, 2010, the Brazilian version of MTV Hits was renamed VH1 MegaHits, after Abril, the parent company of MTV Brasil, gained exclusive rights to the MTV brand in that country. MTV Hits remains as the title of a program, MTV Hits, on that network.
See also
References
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (16 May 2012). "Viacom, Time Warner Cable settle app flap; Viacom channels to be available on iPad viewing service". Variety. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ http://www.foxtel.com.au/about-foxtel/communications/foxtel-announces-dedicated-3d-channel-and-new-channel-line-u-94874.htm
- ^ http://www.fetchtv.com.au/features/channels/mtv-hits.html
External links
- NickMusic on Twitter (only web presence of U.S. network)
- MTV Hits Italy
- MTV Hits UK
- MTV.TV Hitlist UK