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Channel M
Channel M was a regional television station in England which broadcast to the Greater Manchester area between 2000 and 2012. The station, originally Manchester Student Television, was owned and operated by the GMG Regional Media division of Guardian Media Group.
Originally an RSL station and the sixth such station to launch, Channel M was at first primarily available free-to-air on analogue terrestrial TV through channel 39 in central and south Manchester. The licence was awarded in 1997 to a group formed by managing director Philip Reevell in 1997, and was the largest city in terms of population to receive an RSL television station at the time.
The channel began broadcasting free-to-air in conjunction with the University of Salford in 2000.
In 2004, Channel M launched on the NTL (now part of Virgin Media) digital cable platform, around Greater Manchester, mid-Lancashire and Cheshire. In April 2006 Channel M launched on digital satellite, the first RSL channel to do so, where it was broadcast free-to-air across Western Europe from Astra 28.2°E and was available on Sky. The channel was removed from Sky channel 203 and Virgin Media channel 878 on 1 September 2010.
The channel became the first broadcaster in the region to offer its programmes on demand via broadband TV on its website, which closed down in late March 2010.
In January 2009, the broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced that Channel M would receive a licence to broadcast on Freeview after digital switchover. On 2 December 2009, Channel M ceased broadcasting on analogue UHF channel 39 (615 MHz). Around this time, the station announced plans to launch on Freeview (digital terrestrial television); broadcasts began on Monday 12 April 2010.
Originally, the main sources of programming were CHUM, Euronews, Channel M's in-house productions and the University of Salford with Interference, Gloves Off and Hitting Home, a documentary series. These were made in house by students and staff at the university. Canada-sourced output from CHUM was gradually replaced by in-house Channel M Productions as the station developed more local programming, particularly following the station's launch on digital satellite services in April 2006. Major cutbacks saw most of the station's non-news output axed in May 2009. Remaining GMG production ceased on 19 March 2010, leaving the station with a schedule of archive and acquired output.
The history of Channel M can be traced back to the 1996 Broadcasting Act which made provision for six local Restricted Service Licences (RSL) to be issued around the UK. The Manchester RSL was awarded to the University of Salford in 1997 and the channel began life as Manchester Student Television (MSTV), operated by a consortium that included the university and Guardian Media Group, amongst others. All partners started producing content in the autumn of 1998, and this was stockpiled in advance of launch on 14 February 2000. Programming produced by the University of Salford continued to be broadcast on the station until shortly before its closure. Featured programming included Reel North (short films), Zeitgeist (arts magazine), Grey Matters (studio debate), Hitting Home (documentary) and Wildtrack (wildlife documentary), four of which won a total of nine Royal Television Society awards. Interference, an arts show, helped launch careers of presenters and comedians, including OJ Borg and Jason Manford. Gloves Off was a student debate programme that ran for four years.
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Channel M
Channel M was a regional television station in England which broadcast to the Greater Manchester area between 2000 and 2012. The station, originally Manchester Student Television, was owned and operated by the GMG Regional Media division of Guardian Media Group.
Originally an RSL station and the sixth such station to launch, Channel M was at first primarily available free-to-air on analogue terrestrial TV through channel 39 in central and south Manchester. The licence was awarded in 1997 to a group formed by managing director Philip Reevell in 1997, and was the largest city in terms of population to receive an RSL television station at the time.
The channel began broadcasting free-to-air in conjunction with the University of Salford in 2000.
In 2004, Channel M launched on the NTL (now part of Virgin Media) digital cable platform, around Greater Manchester, mid-Lancashire and Cheshire. In April 2006 Channel M launched on digital satellite, the first RSL channel to do so, where it was broadcast free-to-air across Western Europe from Astra 28.2°E and was available on Sky. The channel was removed from Sky channel 203 and Virgin Media channel 878 on 1 September 2010.
The channel became the first broadcaster in the region to offer its programmes on demand via broadband TV on its website, which closed down in late March 2010.
In January 2009, the broadcasting regulator Ofcom announced that Channel M would receive a licence to broadcast on Freeview after digital switchover. On 2 December 2009, Channel M ceased broadcasting on analogue UHF channel 39 (615 MHz). Around this time, the station announced plans to launch on Freeview (digital terrestrial television); broadcasts began on Monday 12 April 2010.
Originally, the main sources of programming were CHUM, Euronews, Channel M's in-house productions and the University of Salford with Interference, Gloves Off and Hitting Home, a documentary series. These were made in house by students and staff at the university. Canada-sourced output from CHUM was gradually replaced by in-house Channel M Productions as the station developed more local programming, particularly following the station's launch on digital satellite services in April 2006. Major cutbacks saw most of the station's non-news output axed in May 2009. Remaining GMG production ceased on 19 March 2010, leaving the station with a schedule of archive and acquired output.
The history of Channel M can be traced back to the 1996 Broadcasting Act which made provision for six local Restricted Service Licences (RSL) to be issued around the UK. The Manchester RSL was awarded to the University of Salford in 1997 and the channel began life as Manchester Student Television (MSTV), operated by a consortium that included the university and Guardian Media Group, amongst others. All partners started producing content in the autumn of 1998, and this was stockpiled in advance of launch on 14 February 2000. Programming produced by the University of Salford continued to be broadcast on the station until shortly before its closure. Featured programming included Reel North (short films), Zeitgeist (arts magazine), Grey Matters (studio debate), Hitting Home (documentary) and Wildtrack (wildlife documentary), four of which won a total of nine Royal Television Society awards. Interference, an arts show, helped launch careers of presenters and comedians, including OJ Borg and Jason Manford. Gloves Off was a student debate programme that ran for four years.