 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom,Ireland |
| Programming | |
| Picture format | 4:3,576i (SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Viacom International Media Networks |
| Sister channels | MTV MTV Two MTV Base MTV Dance VH1 VH1 Classic |
| History | |
| Launched | 31 October 2002 |
| Closed | 26 October 2009 |
| Replaced by | Viva MTV Hits (Australia) |
| Links | |
| Website | mtv.co.uk/tmf |
| Availability | |
| Terrestrial | |
| Freeview | Channel 21 |
TMF (The Music Factory) is a defunctmusic video andentertainmenttelevision channel in theUK andIreland owned byViacom International Media Networks. Originally a Dutch channel, it was formed after the two otherTMF stations, which were based in mainlandEurope, the channel was created to counter againstEMAP'sThe Hits channel (now4Music) on the newfree-to-air digital terrestrial television serviceFreeview in 2002, it later ceased broadcasting on 26 October 2009.
Upon launch, TMF's description was "TMF is designed to replicate the rhythms of the whole family, playing the best pop videos with the biggest pop stars to become the sound track to the British family life." However, it later broadened its content to air non-music video programming from its sister channelsMTV,VH1,Nick Jr.,Nick, andComedy Central.
TMF broadcast onFreeview,Sky andVirgin Media and as well as in someIrish cable packages. The channel was the most viewed music video related station in the UK, according toBARB ratings.
TMF initially launched as a non-stop music channel, though from early 2004 it began to air programming from MTV and VH1:
Noggin started broadcasting on 30 January 2006, the first international feed of Noggin (excluding the former vintage block on Nick Jr. which only had the name in common). It was achildren's television slot broadcast on TMF from 07:00 to 09:00 daily. It showed a selection of Nick Jr shows and often promoted the full Nick Jr. channels to viewers with only Freeview. It was hosted by Moose A. Moose and Zee D. Bird from the AmericanNoggin.
It was relaunched in 2009 after replacing the formerNick Jr. on TMF block. The final set of programmes shown wereGo Diego Go!,Dora the Explorer,Little Bear,Bruno andMaggie and the Ferocious Beast.
Noggin was the first commercial children's television channel launched on 30 January 2006 on TMF to air on the UK'sDTT platform,Freeview, followed byCITV, then lastlyPlayhouse Disney onABC1.
Following the closure of TMF, the block continued onViva until March 2010, when the Nick Jr. rebrand caused Noggin to shutdown. However, the branding of Noggin (except the name "Noggin") and the Moose and Zee segments were adopted by Nick Jr. and used until January 2013.
Nick Jr on TMF had replaced the strand Noggin on 25 September 2006, but its programming remained identical. It is unknown why the rebrand happened, or why it reverted to Noggin in 2009. It used the sameident and presentation package as its main sister channel,Nick Jr. Moose and Zee's segments were removed as well. Programmes shown includedPeppa Pig,Maggie and the Ferocious Beast,Dora the Explorer,The Backyardigans,Thomas & Friends,Blue's Clues,LazyTown,Go Diego Go!,Little Bill amongst others.
Repeat airings ofNickelodeons UK Kids Choice Awards 2008 were scheduled on TMF andMTV Hits, in September 2008.[1]
TMF had also airedSpongeBob SquarePants for a brief time in 2004 in late night hours.
In January 2007 TMF began showing comedies broadcast onParamount Comedy, in a strand entitledComedy Classics. These included the likes ofThe Wonder Years,Ally McBeal andCheers, as well as variousParamount films. DuringThe Friday Movie strand, the channel'sDOG changed to an enlarged version, with a re-arranged name displaying "TFM".
In August 2005, TMF commissioned two new shows calledPop the Q andGame One. In early 2006 cameThe Loaded Hour (a male-orientated themed show named after the magazine sponsor, fronted byKate Edmondson), and in the summer a new live show calledTMF Live (presented again by Edmondson, as well as TMF News anchor Carole Machin). With the exception ofPop the Q, none of the shows had a second series.
On 14 October 2009, MTV Networks announced plans to replace TMF with a new music and comedy channel.Viva replaced TMF on 26 October 2009.[2][3][4]The final music video that was shown on TMF wasWhitney Houston's "Million Dollar Bill" at around 5:55 am on 26 October 2009. After this, the channel showed itsNoggin children's strand, which aired since the launch of TMF. This then faded into a promo consisting of music videos at 9 am. The last video played on the promo programmeUp Your Video[n 1] wasCheryl Cole's "Fight For This Love" at about 3:55 pm on 26 October 2009.