MTVU (formerly stylized as MtvU and mtvU) is an American digital cable TV channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group, a unit of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Skydance Corporation. MTVU programming initially served 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as part of internally originated cable systems that are a part of dormitory or college closed-circuit television systems. In 2008 it expanded to home cable networks. Music videos played on the channel primarily consist of indie rock, pop punk and hip-hop along with limited original programming. MTVU also launched a short-lived campus guide and social media network called Campusdailyguide.com in 2008.
In 2018, the MTV Networks on Campus group was sold by Viacom to Cheddar to launch CheddarU, but the digital cable channel remains available to the public through digital cable.
In recent years, MTVU has lost carriage with the growth of streaming alternatives including its parent company's Paramount+, and has generally been depreciated by Paramount Skydance in current retransmission consent negotiations with cable and streaming providers.
History
MTV Networks' proposal for a channel targeting college students, tentatively called MTV University, became public in February 2002.
According to
The New York Times, the channel was seeking to compete with Burly Bear Network, which was available to 450 campuses and had been attracting nearly a million viewers a week, along with
College Television Network (CTN) and the most recent entrant at the time,
Zilo.
Seven months later, after CTN experienced financial difficulties and as National Lampoon had just acquired the defunct Burly Bear, MTV Networks acquired CTN for $15 million.
MTVU also formerly owned RateMyProfessors.com and in 2006 acquired content management software platform for college newspapers College Publisher Network (later College Media Network) parent company Youth Media & Marketing Network (Y2M) in 2006 before selling it in 2010 to Access Network, who sold it to Uloop in 2014.
In February 2008, MTV Networks discontinued VH1 Uno, a sparsely viewed Spanish language music video channel, and replaced it with MTVU, to expand the channel into traditional cable distribution.
In May 2018, Cheddar TV acquired Viacom's MTV Networks on Campus; outlets associated with that service were converted to carry CheddarU, a new secondary feed which streamed content from the flagship financial-news streaming service and segments from Cheddar Big News to 9 million students on more than 600 campuses; universities which previously screened MTV Networks on Campus continued to receive CheddarU at no cost in exchange for access to the campus (the cable version of MTVU has continued under an automated form). CheddarU was part of the ChedNet division of Cheddar, a division focusing on bringing the service to public screens such as gyms, bars, airports, hotel and other public venues.
In 2018, Charter Spectrum removed MTVU from their current-day packages. Only grandfathered subscribers with older packages have access to the network on that provider. The channel uses archived campus footage and interviews rather than producing new interstitials. The company uses the network and MTV Live for video premieres.
Programming
According to its promotional materials from 2004 to 2018, MTVU broadcast exclusive content dedicated to aspects of college life, including music, news, and on-campus events. The channel was the first MTV network to stream all of its content online. On-campus events included the Campus Invasion tour, featuring up-and-coming bands; the GAME0Rz Ball tour, which brings new video games to campus; and Tailgate Tour, which provides MTVU with a presence at campus tailgates. MTVU shows included
Dean's List,
the MTVU Awards, and
MTVU Spring Break.
Currently, MTVU plays a mix of music videos with an emphasis on emerging artists and short interestistial segments focusing on college life.
Additionally, MTVU aired several original programs produced by and featuring college students. The Freshmen featured three rotating student panelists discussing new music videos and was hosted by Kim Stolz; Stand-In brought celebrities and intellectuals into college classrooms to teach for a day, and featured people such as Nobel Laureates Elie Wiesel and Shimon Peres; Madonna; John McCain; Marilyn Manson; and Jhumpa Lahiri. It has also started a social networking site "Meet or Delete", along with Hewlett Packard.
Awards
MTVU Woodie Awards
MTVU formerly broadcast its own semi-annual awards show, the
MTV Woodies, which it states recognizes "the music voted best by college students." Previous winners have included 2005's Death Cab for Cutie, Motion City Soundtrack, and
The Afters; 2006 winners include Thirty Seconds to Mars, Plain White T's,
mewithoutYou,
The Subways and
Gnarls Barkley. The 2006 ceremony was also notable for the altercation of
Elijah Wood and Scott from the music blog
Stereogum with
Jared Leto.
[ Best Week Ever » Blog Archive » SIZZLER: Gollum Leto Hates Hobbitses from bestweekever.tv] The 2008 awards had a huge fan voting for the Best Music On Campus award, where The Bride Wore Black won the award and Chasing Arrows came in right behind.
Winners at the 2008 Woodie Awards included
Paramore and There for Tomorrow. Winners at the 2009 Woodie Awards included
Green Day, Kings of Leon, Matt & Kim,
NeverShoutNever, Tech N9ne and Hotel of the Laughing Tree.
Winners at the 2014 Woodie Awards included Beyoncé, Drake,
Ed Sheeran, and
Skrillex.
Fall Out Boy became the first inductees at "Hall of Wood" at the 2015 Woodie Awards. They had won the Streaming Woodie award for "Grand Theft Autumn" at the first ceremony in 2004.
Awards for students
The online game
Darfur is Dying was developed as part of an MTVU contest, and other
Darfur conflict coverage won MTVU two Emmys, including the 2006 Governors Award. Its
Half of Us initiative won a
Peabody Award in 2007 "for its extensive research and dedication to fighting depression and creating quick routes to convenient solutions."
MTVU also provided grants for student activists, giving away $1,000 a week to various student groups. MTVU formerly co-sponsored the ecomagination Challenge with GE, which aimed to empower college students to solve environmental problems on campuses. MTVU also sponsored the Film Your Issue competition, a competition designed to encourage college-age filmmakers to make short political pieces, and aired the winners.
Other opportunities that MTVU provided for college students include Digital Incubator grants, which awarded students who are pioneering the future of broadband content, and the Student Filmmaker Award, which provided the winner with the chance to receive a development deal with MTVU and collect the award at the MTV Movie Awards. Besides these competitions, MTVU made efforts to use student work through its programming.
Winners
Woodie of the Year
Breaking Woodie
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2004: The Killers - "Somebody Told Me"
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2005: Motion City Soundtrack
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2006: Plain White T's
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2007: Boys Like Girls
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2008: Afterhour
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2009: Never Shout Never
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2010: Not Awarded Breaking Woodie
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2011: Two Door Cinema Club
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2012: Machine Gun Kelly
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2013: Earl Sweatshirt
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2014: The 1975
Left Field Woodie
Good Woodie
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2004: Sum 41
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2005: U2
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2006: Serj Tankian
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2007: Guster
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2008: Jack's Mannequin
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2009: Jamie Tworkowski
Road Woodie
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2004: Coheed and Cambria
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2005: Fall Out Boy
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2006: Taking Back Sunday
Streaming Woodie
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2004: Fall Out Boy - "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy"
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2005: The Afters - "Beautiful Love"
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2006 - O.A.R. - "Love and Memories"
Welcome Back Woodie
Soundtrack of My Life Woodie
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2004: Coheed and Cambria -
The Jump Woodie
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2004: Taking Back Sunday - "A Decade Under the Influence"
The Silent But Deadly Woodie
Best Video Woodie
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2005: Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc." (Best Video Woodie - Animation)
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2005: Death Cab for Cutie - "Title and Registration" (Best Video Woodie - Live Action)
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2006: Gorillaz - "El Mañana" (Best Video Woodie - Animation)
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2006: Thirty Seconds to Mars - "The Kill" (Best Video Woodie - Live Action)
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2007: Say Anything - "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too"
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2008: Motion City Soundtrack - "It Had to Be You"
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2009: Matt and Kim - "Lessons Learned"
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2010: Not Awarded Best Video Woodie
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2011: Chiddy Bang - "Opposite of Adults"
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2012: Best Coast - "Our Deal"
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2013: Danny Brown - "Grown Up"
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2014: Chance the Rapper, Saba & BJ the Chicago Kid - "Everybody's Something"
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2015: Donald Glover - "Sober"
International Woodie
Alumni Woodie
Performing Woodie
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2007: Muse
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2008: Atmosphere
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2009: Green Day
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2010: Not Awarded Performing Woodie
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2011: Matt and Kim
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2012: Mac Miller
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2013: Not Awarded Performing Woodie
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2014: Ed Sheeran
Best Music On Campus Woodie
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2008: The Bride Wore Black
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2009: Hotel of the Laughing Tree
College Radio Woodie
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2009: KUPS (University of Puget Sound)
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2010: WICB (Ithaca College)
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2011: WVUM (University of Miami)
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2012: WASU-FM (Appalachian State University)
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2013: KSUA (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
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2014: WESS (East Stroudsburg University)
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2015: WPTS-FM (University of Pittsburgh)
EDM Effect Woodie
Fomo Woodie
Tag Team Woodie
Branching Out Woodie
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2013: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Chevrolet Sonic Collage Artist Woodie
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2013: The Lonely Biscuits
Cover Woodie
Did it My Way Woodie
Best Collaboration Woodie
Woodie to Watch
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2015: Years & Years
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2016: Not Awarded Woodie to Watch
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2017: Khalid
Co-Sign Woodie
Next Level Performance Woodie
Social Climber Woodie
Woodie Songwriter of the Year
External links
