After almost 21 years Channel V is switching off.
Channel V launched as RED on 22 April 1995 and changed to Channel V on 18 April 1997.
Over the years VJs have included Jane Gazzo, Nick Bennett, Maynard, Andrew G, Deni Hines, Jabba, James Mathison, Yumi Stynes and Molly Meldrum.
The current management of Brian Walsh and Stephen Baldwin have failed to keep the channel afloat with declining audiences leading to low revenue against high costs and the impact of a changing audience who now goes to YouTube for their video clips.
Walsh and Baldwin advised staff at the channel that it was all over yesterday afternoon.
Channel V closure memo
Dear Colleagues,
As foreshadowed in my presentation yesterday, we are making changes across our organisation in order to be match fit in an increasingly competitive landscape. One area I discussed with you was channel rationalisation.
Over the past several years music clips have become ubiquitous with availability on services like YouTube, whilst linear broadcast audiences for music channels have been in steady decline. In order to run the Foxtel music services more efficiently we have decided to merge Channel [V] and [V] Hits.
The new service will be called [V] Hits and we will create a +2 of this channel. [V] Hits will continue to be a clip based channel with no long form content.
This change will begin to take place this Saturday, with the channel branding completed by late March.
I would like to thank the music team for their hard work and dedication in making Channel [V] an integral part of the Australian music landscape throughout the years.
I would also like to thank those team members leaving us today. You leave with our best wishes for your onward journey.
Brian Walsh & Stephen Baldwin
From this Saturday Channel V and V Hits will downgrade to a single continuous loop operation.
