VH1 Wikipedia. VH1 originally an initialism of Video Hits One is an American cable television network based in New York City that is owned by the Viacom Global Entertainment Group, a unit of Viacom Media Networks. The channel was first launched on January 1, 1. Turner Broadcasting Systems short lived Cable Music Channel. It was originally created by Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and the original owner of MTV MTV and VH1 are now both owned by Viacom Media Networks. The original purpose of the channel was to build upon the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly older demographic than its sister channel, focusing on the lighter, softer side of popular music. More recently, much like MTV, VH1 has been in the area of music related reality programming, such as Behind the Music, the I Love series and the Celebreality block of programming, as part of the channels current focus on popular culture. As of January 2. 01. US households receive VH1. Early history 1. Format and VJs 1. The first VH1 logo used from 1. USA, 1. 99. 5 to 2. Germany and in 1. United KingdomIreland. Designed by LPGPon, Dale Pon and George Lois. The second VH1 logo used from 1. Designed by Scott Miller. Rock on the Net includes daily news updates, information on your favorite artists, and a weekly compilation of major music charts. The latest news articles from Billboard Magazine, including reviews, business, pop, hiphop, rock, dance, country and more. During the Christmas season the V would be flipped upside down to resemble a Christmas tree. VH1s aim was to focus on the lighter, softer side of popular music,2 including such musicians as Olivia Newton John, Kenny Rogers, Carly Simon, Tina Turner, Elton John, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, Sting, Donna Summer, Rod Stewart, Kenny G, Michael Bolton, Anita Baker, Chicago and Fleetwood Mac, in hopes of appealing to people aged 1. Also frequently featured in the networks early years were videos for Motown and other 6. It was introduced on January 1, 1. The Star Spangled Banner by Marvin Gaye. From the start, Video Hits One was branded as an urban version of its sisterparent channel. It played more jazz and R B artists than MTV and had a higher rotation of urban contemporary performers. Its early on camera personalities were New York radio veterans Don Imus then of WNBC, Frankie Crocker then program director and DJ for WBLS, Scott Shannon of Z1. Jon Bauman Bowzer from Sha Na Na, Bobby Rivers, and Rita Coolidge. Later VJs included Tim Byrd of WPIX FM now WFAN FM, a station whose eclectic ballad and R B oriented format mirrored that of VH 1, and Alison Steele The Nightbird of WNEW FM. Rosie ODonnell later joined the outlets veejay lineup. ODonnell would also host a comedy show featuring various comedians each episode. As an added touch to make the network more like a televised radio station, the early years of the network featured jingles in their bumpers produced by JAM Creative Productions in Dallas, who had previously made jingles for radio stations worldwide. The format left room for occasional ad libs by the VJ, a godsend for emcees such as Imus and ODonnell. In true Imus style, he used a 1. VH 1 show to jokingly call smooth jazz icon Sade Adu a grape for her oval shaped head. Typical of VH1s very early programming was New Visions, a series which featured videos and in studio performances by smooth jazz and classical and new age bands and performers, including Spyro Gyra, Andy Narell, Mark Isham, Philip Glass,3 and Yanni. At first many different musicians guest hosted the program, but eventually musiciansongwriter Ben Sidran became the permanent host. New Age music videos continued to play on the channel into the 1. They would be seen on the Sunday morning 2 hour music video block titled Sunday Brunch. Early programming 1. Once VH1 established itself a few years later, they catered to Top 4. For a time, even country music videos aired in a one hour block during the afternoons. They started out using MTVs famous Kabel typeface font for their music video credit tags. It was later replaced in 1. In 1. 99. 3, the name of the videos director was included at the bottom of the credits. During this time, they also had some non music programming, such as a comedy hour hosted by Rosie ODonnell with various amateur and veteran comedians, called Stand Up Spotlight,5 an in depth look at current movies called Flix,6 and reports on good civilians and volunteers in the community, called Good News People. Every week, the Top 2. Video Countdown usually had a different guest host. Occasionally, they had themed countdowns as well, such as Elvira hosting scary videos for Halloween in 1. Long blocks of music videos by a particular artist or band, theme, or years were also very popular in this era. One popular weekend program was called Video Rewind, in which blocks of 1. There was also a short lived hour long program called By Request in which viewers could call a 19. Also in 1. 99. 1, a popular morning program was introduced called Hits News Weather that ran from 7 AM to 9 AM ET. It later expanded to 1. AM ET. It consisted of music videos both past and present along with a 9. How To Install Wifi Slax On Usb on this page. All News Channel. The updates were typically shown twice an hour during the program. A box displaying the minutes past the hour was shown below the logo during the period. It was discontinued a week before the channel was re branded in the Spring of 1. During the week prior, classic music videos from forgotten artistsbands aired, titled Whatever Happened To. The channels playlist was gradually expanding, and, by 1. Ace of Base, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Lisa Loeb, Amy Grant, Seal, and other slightly heavier, or more alternative rock influenced music than what it had originally played, although favorites such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Cher, Elton John, Madonna, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson, and Cline Dion still continued to receive heavy play for several more years as well. VH1 Music First 1. In May 1. 99. 4, VH1 re branded itself as VH1 Music First,1. They began airing History of Music Videos A to Z during the July 4 weekend from 1. The success of A to Z led to a weeknight 1. Madonna videos, titled The Madonna Show. The videos were aired without introduction by a VJ and the program was soon shortened to thirty minutes, and then scrapped altogether. By 1. 99. 6, VH1 was heading down the same path as its sister channel, MTV, choosing to focus more on music related shows than on music videos. Additionally, the network began to expand its playlist of music videos to include more rock music. Old episodes of American Bandstand could regularly be seen on the channel. By that time, the channels ratings were beginning to fall. Video CountdowneditAs part of VH 1s re branding as VH1 Music First in 1. VH1 Top 1. 0 Countdown, that counted down the top ten music videos played on VH1 each week. A combination of record sales, radio airplay, video spins, message board posts, and conventional mail would decide the order of the countdown. A rotating cast of VJs picked up hosting duties for the show over the years. The series expanded from ten to twenty music videos, becoming the VH1 Top 2. Video Countdown, in 2. The show was renamed The 2. Pop Up VideoeditIn the fall of 1. VH1 premiered Pop Up Video, in which music videos were accompanied by pop ups also known as bubbles or info nuggets small enclosed areas of the screen containing facts about the band artists, and videos such as career highlights, discography, biographical details, quotes, and anecdotes.