Launched February 2003 Country United Kingdom Founded 2003 | Picture format 16:9 SBTV Language English | |
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Owned by All Around the World Productions Audience share 0.01% (September 2015 (2015-09), BARB) Owner All Around the World Productions Profiles | ||
Channel AKA (formerly Channel U) is a British digital satellite TV channel, owned by All Around the World Productions, available through Sky within the UK and Ireland on channel 385. It is a music channel, focusing on playing upcoming UK urban/grime/hip-hop music and has helped the breakthrough for acts such as Tinchy Stryder, Tinie Tempah, Dizzee Rascal, Chipmunk, Wretch 32, Devlin, Giggs, Skepta and N-Dubz.
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Starting point
Channel AKA is a significant outlet not only for established artists, but also for those who are just starting out. 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," and it has been successful in this mission, as suggested by the production and popularity of such compilation CDs as Channel U: The Album,"AKA Presents:Streets Grime and Life"and "Channel AKA:The Hotlist".
Many artists have expressed their loyalty to the channel in their lyrics; for example, in Lady Sovereign's "9 to 5", "Channel who? Oh Channel U, the ones who made me huge, like Katie Price's boobs!". Other artists to comment on Channel U include Kano, Ironik, Lethal Bizzle, Sway, Remi Nicole, Mr Wong, and Dizzee Rascal. Dan le sac vs Scroobius Pip criticised Channel U in their song "Fixed", as did Lowkey, who cited the absence of any innovation and the channel's lack of desire to take risks.
In October 2005, the first annual Channel U Awards were held in London with live performances from its underground playlist.
Before he joined MTV to host the British version of Pimp My Ride, Tim Westwood had a show on Channel AKA, along with his other media activity. Following the success of the Westwood show the channel further developed its programming by licensing a lifestyle TV series, The Ballers Show, in 2006. The 30-minute show gave its audience the unique opportunity to see the real lives of footballers off the pitch and featured Premier League football stars including Jermain Defoe and Jermaine Pennant.
2009 rebrand
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.
Aims: The aim of the channel is to provide fresh and exclusive entertainment to the viewers and to allow viewers to voice their opinions on videos through the power of voting. Not only does this give the viewer control over their viewing, it also allows artists to see how people are reacting to their music. AKA (formerly Channel U) highlights to the public, the raw and unsigned talent we have in the UK, and it has been successful in this mission, as suggested by the production and popularity of such compilation CDs as Channel U: The Album.
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, owner of Clubland TV, Planet Pop and Greatest Hits TV. On 29 November 2012, the channel launched on Freesat but was removed on 15 April 2013. The channel returned to Freesat in October 2015 alongside its sister channels Chilled TV, Clubland TV and Now Music.
On 14 July 2016, the channel's founder, Darren Platt, died.
Programming
Criticisms
In June 2005, the channel was fined £18,000 by Ofcom for a number of offences, including the broadcasting of inappropriate material, using premium rate telephone services in programmes, and failing to ensure a clear distinction between programmes and advertisements.