Channel U Channel U was a British digital satellite TV music channel that focused on the British grime scene which ran from February 2003 to June 2018. It was a significant outlet not only for established artists, but also for those who are just starting out, helping the breakthrough for acts such as
Tinchy Stryder,
Tinie Tempah,
Dizzee Rascal,
Chip,
Wretch 32,
Devlin,
Giggs,
Skepta and
N-Dubz. Its material "includes crude productions shot with handheld digital video cameras," and helps new musicians attract attention and build a fan base. According to its website, "the aim of the channel was to highlight to the public, the raw and unsigned talent we have in the UK, and give them a platform from which they could perform".
Channel AKA The parent company of
Fizz TV and Channel U went into voluntary liquidation at the beginning of February, 2009, before being purchased by
Mushroom TV. When purchasing the two channels, Mushroom TV agreed that Channel U and Fizz TV should be rebranded. The two channels were rebranded as Channel AKA and Starz TV on 16 March 2009. On 22 June 2012, Mushroom TV entered
liquidation.
Ofcom's television broadcast licensing update for May 2012, indicates that Channel AKA was sold to
All Around the World Productions, who at the time owned Clubland TV and Massive R&B (now
Now 90s) and had also acquired Greatest Hits TV under UltimateHits Limited. On 29 November 2012, the channel launched on
Freesat but was removed on 15 April 2013. The channel returned to Freesat on 1 October 2015 alongside its sister channels Chilled TV,
Clubland TV and Now Music, before being removed again on 12 May 2017. Channel AKA and its predecessor Channel U have since been remembered for introducing the music careers of artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Kano,
Wiley and Lethal Bizzle.
Massive R&B On 1 June 2018, Channel AKA's slot was replaced with Massive R&B. (the second time an All Around the World owned network has used the name), now focusing on celebrating classic hip-hop & R&B from the
1990s and
2000s, and current urban music - from
US rap to
UK grime.
Total Country On 1 November 2018, five months after Massive R&B relaunched, it was rebranded as a
country music channel called Total Country, celebrating country music, old and new, from
Dolly Parton and
Garth Brooks to
Carrie Underwood,
Ward Thomas and
The Shires. The channel launched on Virgin Media on 8 March 2019, along with sister channel
Now 90s. It was previously available via the red button on
Clubland TV on the platform along with
Now 80s and Now 90s until it was removed on 1 March 2018. From 20 November 2019 until 27 December 2019, Now 80s used Total Country's slot since the slot that is normally used for Now 80s was used for Now Christmas, efficiently ceasing the channel's broadcast in the process.
Now 70s On 27 December 2019, the channel was rebranded as Now 70s, becoming the third decade-oriented channel in the Now-branded portfolio. On 26 February 2020, the channel launched on
Freeview on channel 78, replacing Now 90s. It was removed from the platform on 26 May 2020, coinciding with
Together increasing its broadcast hours, and returned on 8 July 2020 as an exclusive to Manchester on channel 78 and via Channelbox on channel 271 (connected TVs only). On 28 April 2021, it returned to Freeview outside Manchester on channel 76, replacing Now 80s, which became exclusive to Manchester. As well as various chart shows (with former
Radio 1 DJs like
Mark Goodier and
Bruno Brookes) and artist battles (such as
Bowie vs
Bolan, or
ABBA vs
Boney M.) based upon the music of the 1970s, the channel also features
music from the 1960s in their
Now 70s presents Now 60s programming block, in a similar fashion to how Now 80s had a 1970s programme block prior to the launch of Now 70s as a standalone channel. On 23 February 2022, it was confirmed that Now 70s and the other three AATW channels would launch on Sky Glass in the future, although a specific launch date was not given. On 20 September 2022, Now 70s closed on Freeview. On 2 March 2023, Now 70s reappeared on Freeview as a FAST channel on Channelbox channel 271 alongside
Now 80s and
Now Rock. From 28 November until 27 December 2023, Now 70s was rebranded temporarily as
Now Christmas for the 2023 festive season. ==Presenters==