Channel Six Dundee was to be the city’s very first television station dedicated solely to promoting the talents of Dundonians.
Using the Tay Bridge transmitter, the network would send out quality local arts programming to the Tayside area.
Soon the city channel was credited with launching the careers of many of Dundee’s finest musical acts.
However, barely a year after its first broadcast, the Dundee channel was taken off-air due to money troubles.
Join us on a look back at the popular city station before its lights were turned off for the final time.
Lights, camera, action!
Plans for a city broadcast service were first introduced in Dundee in 1999.
Initially the plans were disregarded, however after a similar, successful service was launched in Edinburgh, the Dundee version finally received the go-ahead.
But would it be better than Edinburgh’s?
The owners certainly believed so.
Managing director for Channel Six Broadcasting Ltd, David Rushton, was confident Dundee’s new channel could surpass the success of their other fledgling venture.
Where’s TV Going? : Channel Six Dundeehttp://t.co/Ew1iWW0wOH pic.twitter.com/OqN6rygHWO
— DUNDEENEWS (@NewsDundee) February 4, 2015
Speaking from the channel’s headquarters in Edinburgh, in 2001, Mr Rushton said: “The channel in Edinburgh is going very well despite problems caused by a poor signal.
“However, the signal in Dundee will be a lot stronger and we will be able to broadcast to a much larger audience.”
Using the Tay Bridge transmitter, the Channel Six signal was to be of the same quality as broadcasts provided by mainstream channels BBC and ITV.
Nearly 125,000 Dundonians would be able to switch on to the new channel at the end of the month, with the signal available in homes from Monifieth to Invergowrie.
Channel Six Dundee was launched on May 31 2001.
The local station was based at Seabraes Lane on the Perth Road.
Channel Six intended to follow a similar schedule to other music channels such as MTV, with light pop music and children’s animations during the school holidays.
The station also planned to launch its very own record label later that year, allowing what it described as local talent to record singles and albums and set them on the road to stardom.
The channel’s first programme began just before midnight with the music-video for Scottish rock band Travis’ latest single, Sing.
Afterwards, the station broadcast other music videos until around 6am, when cartoons began for the early risers.
The channel encouraged viewers to dial up and select the music videos they wanted to appear on air across the city.
Local bands were also encouraged to provide their own music videos to be shown, and local artists could submit short films.
Film students from the University of Dundee could also submit their work to be broadcast on the station, for their first taste of the glitz and glamour that accompanied a life in TV.
Alongside sister channel Edinburgh Television, Channel Six Dundee also pioneered short previews of exhibitions and plays.
Its weekly Viewers’ Choice Top Ten programme played short extracts from the most watched clips, and often included the music videos from local bands.
For the under-35s, Channel Six Dundee was the most popular TV channel in Dundee.
Local live events were also recorded for transmission on the station, including the Roseangle Christmas Lights big switch on in 2001.
Its coverage was praised for the excellent sound quality and overall professionalism.
Financial troubles
Despite appearing to be the only real local TV success story in Scotland, Channel Six Dundee hit serious cash problems.
Channel Six Broadcasting Ltd had run out of money, and not even the channel’s audience of 72,500 could save it.
Unable to secure the necessary investment to sustain and expand the service, liquidation was on the horizon.
But the local channel was determined not to go down without a fight, and normal service continued for the Dundee station until its closure.
The TV station’s chairman, Dave Rushton, said he was determined to keep local TV stations running.
“The people of Dundee have shown how popular a local service can be,” he added.
Despite the channel’s difficulties, its directors, staff and volunteers were determined to see the service develop.
However, their faith was short-lived.
Curtain call
Channel Six Dundee’s parent company was indeed liquidated in 2002.
The lights of the Dundee recording studio were turned off for the final time just a mere 12 months after they’d been switched on.
The channel’s archives went on to provide the basis for Summerhall TV, an online arts broadcasting channel which shows global examples of local TV programming from the 80s and 90s.
Considering how loved the channel was across Courier Country, it’s worth wondering if we’ll ever see the likes of the local TV station lighting up our screens once again.
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