MTV2

MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to basic cable lineups across the nation. It is also broadcast over-the-air in some markets where the former all-request music channel known as The Box was broadcast. A European counterpart broadcasts from London in the United Kingdom, as does a Canadian version on digital cable and satellite, with a German version being closed down in September 2005. MTV2 began broadcasting on August 1, 1996—MTV's fifteenth anniversary—with the first video Beck's Where It's At. The purpose of the channel was to give music fans a place to see constant, commercial-free music videos, once the original MTV had started concentrating on reality television and soap operas.

The beginning of M2 (1996–2000)

During the early years of the channel, the music videos ran on 8-hour rotations, so that the same block of videos repeated three times every day: from 6 AM to 2 PM, 2 PM to 10 PM, and finally from 10 PM to 6 AM. A new block would then start again at 6 AM. During these years, MTV2 only had two VJ's, Jancee Dunn and Matt Pinfield. They were rarely seen on screen and they hand-picked all the music videos that were played for the eight hours every day. Pinfield eventually left to continue hosting shows on MTV, while Jancee remained at MTV2 through 2001.

Related Topics:
Jancee Dunn - Matt Pinfield - 2001

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MTV2 was almost always just a random blend of music, though occasional themed specials were aired. One of the first ones was the "Smashing Pumpkins Videography," where all of the band's videos were played in chronological order. MTV2 would often invite musicians to hand pick blocks of videos or air hour-long blocks (which would eventually be known as "Artist Collections") of videos by one band or musician.

Related Topics:
Smashing Pumpkins - Artist Collection

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In honor of the millennium, MTV2 attempted to play every music video in the MTV library starting on January 1, 2000, in alphabetical order. While a majority of videos were played, many were skipped over. The special ended in mid-April 2000. Partially through the special, MTV2 changed its scheduling from three 8-hour blocks a day to two 12-hour blocks a day, so that it would finish sooner and they would be able to get back to airing new videos again.

Related Topics:
January 1 - 2000

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