U (TV channel)

U

TVNZ U Logo
Country	New Zealand
Broadcast area	National
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Programming
Picture format	16:9 (576i, SDTV)
Ownership
Owner	TVNZ
Sister channels	TV One TV2 Heartland
History
Launched	13 March 2011 (2011-03-13)[1]
Replaced	TVNZ 6
Closed	31 August 2013 (2013-08-31)
Replaced by	TVNZ 2+1
Links
Website	TVNZ U website, http://www.facebook.com/tvnzu
Availability
Terrestrial
DVB 64-QAM on band IV

U was an interactive youth-oriented New Zealand television channel, owned and operated by TVNZ. The channel launched on 13 March 2011, and featured reality programming, as well as an interactive live show and music content. It replaced the now defunct TVNZ 6. Leading up to the launch of U, there were 13 days' worth of promotional videos and programming information aired to advertise the new channel.

Initially, U closed down every night at midnight, playing the Goodnight Kiwi animation to signal the end of nightly broadcast. During its closedown period of 12-midnight to 12-noon, the channel looped a video of non-stop dancing with text reading U 'returns at midday'.

From February 2012, the channel began broadcasting infomercials from midnight until midday, except on Saturday and Sunday mornings, when it is illegal to broadcast adverts.^[2] On Saturday and Sunday, the channel closes down as usual, with infomercials played until 6am, a graphic is displayed from 6am until midday, and then the broadcast 'returns at midday'.

In April 2013, the channel launched U Late, a late night version of its flagship programme U Live, but without the music videos. It was described as late night antics and chat, live and interactive every evening.

On 29 July 2013, TVNZ announced that U would cease broadcast on 31 August 2013, after two years since the channel launch.