It was one of the biggest cable music channels in the region in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
This week, the Channel V (Channel [V]) brand was seen on television for one last time as its China-based feed, which is sole remaining station to remain in operation, officially folded.
This, as the parent firm of the service, Starry Sky Media, announced a pair of major closures earlier in the week, with the first one being the music channel’s sister station Xing Kong last May 6, which was shortly followed by Channel V on May 8.
In a statement issued on its Weibo account, as translated from Mandarin, Starry Sky noted on the closure of Channel V’s satellite transmission service, “The satellite company has notified us that satellite transmission service will be suspended on May 8th.”
It added, “After careful consideration by our management, we have decided that: CHANNEL V will officially cease satellite signal transmission starting May 8th, 2026,” advising its viewers cable TV, IPTV, and direct broadcast satellite subscribers will no longer be able to watch its programs.
“Thank you for your continued support of CHANNEL V over the years,” it told its loyal fans.
The company then disclosed the difficulties it has encountered over the years, especially with the changing landscape of music-oriented channels on television.
“Due to profound changes in the global music television media market environment, the rapid rise of new media platforms, and the persistently high operating costs of traditional satellite transmission channels, the channel faces a severe situation of long-term losses,” the management noted.
It continued, “Although we have attempted to improve our business through content adjustments and operational optimizations, we have been unable to reverse our current financial difficulties.“
Starry Sky then apologized for the inconvenience caused by this suspension, but also kept viewers hopeful.
“For further information regarding some high-quality music and trendy cultural content, please stay tuned for our subsequent announcements,” it told.
In conclusion, it said: “Thank you again to every viewer, musician, and partner for your continued companionship and support of CHANNEL V over the years. The musical spirit represented by Channel V will remain in the youthful memories of countless people.“
Channel V China aired programs like Explosive Hits, Music Charts, and V Reception, and organized the Global Chinese Music Chart Awards.
CHANNEL V IN THE PHILIPPINES
In the Philippines, the brand also had a rather storied run.
First established in the ’90s, it served as the chief regional competitor of MTV Asia, which at that time, was already established by way of its association with the flagship American channel.
In the country, Channel V first aired via Channel 23 from 1994 to 1996, before returning in 1999 through a major partnership with GMA Network that aired it on channel 27 (formerly Citynet).
But in less than two years, the channel bowed out of free TV and transitioned to the pan-regional version.
Another attempt to establish a foothold in the country came in 2009, but it was once again short-lived, with the local operations concluding by the 2012—once again reverting to the Southeast Asian feed thereafter.
In 2021, the Walt Disney Company, which at that point acquired 21st Century Fox, then-parent of the Fox International Channels group that included Channel V, made sweeping cuts to its cable TV operations in the Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.
The major media conglomerate opted to close majority of its channels, which included Channel V.
According to the company’s statement to its employees, the cessation of the channels was due to the ongoing efforts by the company “to pivot towards a D2Cfirst model and further grow [their] streaming services.” D2Cfirst pertains to a “direct-to-consumer first” strategy that sees further investment into the Disney+ streaming app.
Hence, Channel V China became the last offshoot to remain in operation for the next five years.