The Box Plus Network

The Box Plus Network Ltd

Type	Limited company
Industry	Mass media
Headquarters	Victoria, London, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Services	Television, online
Parent	Bauer Media Group Channel Four Television Corporation
Website	www.boxplus.com

The Box Plus Network (formerly Video Jukebox Network International Ltd and Box Television Ltd) is a British television company which is owned by Bauer Media Group (50%) and Channel Four Television Corporation (50%) and acts as its music television programme production arm.

On 2 April 2013, all The Box Plus Network channels went free-to-air on satellite, apart from 4Music which went free-to-view.^[1]

Location

Box Television logo used until 2015.

The company is based in Victoria in London.

Current channels

The Box

The Box is well known for its First Play feature, where many videos often make their UK or world première. This new music is often shown through the Box Fresh show on the channel.

The Box Africa

In July 2012,^[2] Box Television launched a 24-hour pan-African music channel.^[3] The channel focuses on international and local music from across the African continent.^[4] It is available in 15 countries across Africa. Box Television has also made available its other major channels across Africa.^[5]

Box Hits

Box Hits mainly broadcasts general mainstream pop music from the past few years. It took its name and format of the Smash Hits brand from Bauer which existed in Smash Hits Radio and once ran as a magazine.

Box Upfront

Box Upfront (formerly Heat) is a fresh music channel which launched on 3 July 2012. It formerly took its name and format from Bauer's weekly Heat magazine, and broadcast showbiz news, celebrity features and music videos.^[6] It replaced Q on Sky, Smallworld Cable, UPC Ireland, Virgin Media and in Iceland on Síminn.^[7]

Kiss

Kiss TV is a commercial music television channel from Box Television available on the Freesat, Sky and Virgin Media digital TV platforms. The playlist is predominantly mainstream Urban Pop, Dance and R&B, although since its relaunch in Summer 2006, (and the launch of a sister channel Q) it has begun to focus more on dance music once again. It is based on format of the Kiss brand from Bauer which also exists in Kiss Radio.

Magic

Magic TV plays mainly easy listening music videos. It is based on format of the Magic brand from Bauer which exists in Magic Radio and Magic branded CDs.

Kerrang!

Kerrang! specialises in Rock Music. As of 2005, all of its programme content is music videos, the majority of which is open scheduled, for text requests from their playlist. It is based on format of Kerrang! brand from Bauer which also exists in Kerrang Radio and Kerrang! magazine.

4Music

4Music showcases a range of pop centring on chart hits and current favourites, along with a range of music-themed programmes from Channel 4. The channel is available free-to-air on the British Digital terrestrial television service Freeview on channel 18. Apparently, 4Music's idea of censorship is reversing offending phrases using Audacity, resulting in songs which sound like the artist is arbitrarily suffering from a stroke.

Defunct channels

The Hits

The Hits closed on 15 August 2008. It was replaced by 4Music. Its sister radio station remains on the air.

Q

Q specialised in indie, rock and alternative. In common with other Box Television channels, Q was originally a jukebox channel, where music video selections made were by the viewers using premium rate phone lines; however this element was dropped in 2004. It is based on format of the Q brand from Bauer which exists in Q Magazine and Q Radio. Q closed on 3 July 2012, when it was replaced by Heat.

References

External links

• Official website