CMT Insider
| CMT | |
|---|---|
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| Launched | March 5, 1983 |
| Owned by | Viacom Media Networks (Viacom) |
| Picture format | |
| Slogan | Get country. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Formerly called | CMTV (1983) |
| Sister channel(s) | |
| Website | CMT.com |
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Availability
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| Satellite | |
| DirecTV |
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| Dish Network | 166 (HD/SD) |
| Cable | |
| Verizon FiOS |
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| IPTV | |
| AT&T U-verse |
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| Streaming media | |
| Sling TV | Internet Protocol television |
CMT, originally launched as CMTV, is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by Viacom Global Entertainment Group, a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of Viacom. Its name is an initialism for "Country Music Television", which has since been de-emphasized. It was the first nationally available cable channel devoted to country music and country music videos.
Programming on the channel originally focused on country music; including music videos, taped concerts and biographies of country music stars. CMT's current programming now mainly consists of original reality programs and scripted series, off-network syndicated shows, and theatrically-released movies.
As of February 2015, approximately 86,989,000 American households (74.7% of households with television) receive CMT.
CMTV, an initialism of Country Music Television, was founded by Glenn D. Daniels, the owner of Video World Productions in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Daniels put together the ownership group of Telestar Corporation and the Blinder Robinson & Company investment bank in a three-way split. Daniels also served as the program director and the first president of the network.
The network launched on March 5, 1983, at 6:19 p.m. CT, beating its chief competitor, TNN, to air by two days. The first video clip to air on CMT was Faron Young's 1971 hit "It's Four in the Morning". The following summer, MTV filed a trademark infringement lawsuit over the initials CMTV, and the network changed its name to simply CMT.
In 1991, Opryland USA and its owner Gaylord Entertainment Company acquired CMT in a $34 million deal. The network was sold by a group led by radio station owner Robert Sillerman and record producer James Guercio. Opryland USA and owner Gaylord also owned CMT's competitor The Nashville Network.
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