View source for CheddarU

{{Short description|American TV channel}}
{{about|the TV channel|the Iranian university|Mohajer Technical And Vocational College of Isfahan}}
{{about|the on-campus channel|the digital cable channel|MTVU}}
{{Update|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name            = CheddarU
| logo            = CheddarU.svg
| logo_size       = 150px
| logo_alt        =
| image           = 
| launch_date     = {{Start date and age|2002|2}}<!-- Launched in February 2002 as College Television Network -->
| closed_date     = 
| picture_format  = [[16:9]] [[480i]] [[SDTV]]
| owner           = [[Viacom Media Networks]]<br>(2002–2018)<br>[[Cheddar (TV channel)|Cheddar]] (2018–present)
| country         = [[United States]]
| language        = [[American English|English]]
| area            = Closed-circuit on U.S. college campuses
| headquarters    = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| former_names    = College Television Network (2002–2004)<br/>MTVU (2004–2018)
| replaced        = [[MTVU]] (college cable television, 2004–2018; MTVU remains a digital cable network)
| replaced_by     = 
| sister_channels = 
| website         = {{URL|https://cheddar.com/cheddaru}}
| sat_serv_1      = 
| sat_chan_1      = 
| sat_serv_2      = 
| sat_chan_2      = 
| cable_serv_1    = 
| cable_chan_1    = 
| cable_serv_2    = 
| cable_chan_2    = 
| iptv_serv_1     = 
| iptv_chan_1     =  
}}

'''CheddarU''' was an American [[Closed-circuit television|closed-circuit]] [[television network|network]] available on 650 U.S. college campuses owned by [[Cheddar (TV channel)|Cheddar]], as part of internally originated cable systems that are a part of [[dormitory|on-campus housing]] or college closed-circuit television systems.<ref name="mtvu2002-02"/> In 2018, Cheddar acquired MTV Networks on Campus, a former division of [[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]], to launch the channel. Cheddar also acquired [[RateMyProfessors.com]], which was part of the MTVU division since 2007, in October 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/mtvn-pumps-up-mtvu-with-acquisition-of-ratemyprofessorscom/|title=MTVN Pumps UP MTVU With Acquisition Of RateMyProfessors.com|first=Staci D.|last=Kramer|date=17 January 2007|website=gigaom.com|access-date=9 May 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028043131/https://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/mtvn-pumps-up-mtvu-with-acquisition-of-ratemyprofessorscom/|archive-date=28 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=Cheddar Buys 'Rate My Professors' Website From Viacom |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/cheddar-rate-my-professors-viacom-1202993555/ |accessdate=October 25, 2018 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=February 27, 2019}}</ref>

==History==
MTV Networks' proposal for a channel targeting college students, tentatively called MTV University, became public in February 2002.<ref name="mtvu2002-02">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/18/business/big-mtv-on-campus.html| title=Big MTV on Campus?| work=[[The New York Times]]| first=Jim| last=Rutenberg| date=February 18, 2002| accessdate=2009-11-21| url-status=live| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314024828/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/18/business/big-mtv-on-campus.html| archivedate=March 14, 2010}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="mtvu2002-02"/>

Seven months later, after CTN ended up in financial trouble and as [[National Lampoon, Incorporated|National Lampoon]] had just acquired the defunct Burly Bear, MTV Networks acquired CTN for $15 million.<ref name="mtvu2002-09">{{cite news | url= https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/21/business/mtv-acquires-college-television-network.html | title= MTV Acquires College Television Network | work= [[The New York Times]] | date= September 21, 2002 | accessdate= 2009-11-21 | url-status= live | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120420003505/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/21/business/mtv-acquires-college-television-network.html | archivedate= April 20, 2012 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYTU12729012008-1.htm|title=mtvU Adds 2.6 Million Subscribers, Launches on Charter, Verizon FiOS, Suddenlink, AT&T and Nearly 70 Other Carriers Nationwide|date=29 January 2008|work=[[MTV Networks]] [[press release]]|publisher=[[PR Newswire]] via [[CNNMoney.com]]|accessdate=27 June 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208171939/https://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/NYTU12729012008-1.htm|archivedate=8 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=25 January 2008 |title=MTV2 Replacing VHUno February 2nd |url=http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/2922/vhunomtvumessagech9.png |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719120200/http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/2922/vhunomtvumessagech9.png |archivedate=19 July 2011 |accessdate=27 June 2011 |publisher=[[Charter Communications]] system message}}</ref>

In May 2018, [[Cheddar (TV channel)|Cheddar TV]] acquired [[Viacom (2005–present)|Viacom]]'s MTV Networks on Campus; outlets associated with that service will be converted to carry CheddarU, a new secondary feed which will stream 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 will continue to receive CheddarU at no cost in exchange for access to the campus. MTVU continues to be available to linear TV platforms via Viacom.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.ecnmag.com/news/2018/06/cheddar-acquires-mtv-networks-campus-viacom | title=Cheddar Acquires MTV Networks on Campus from Viacom | date=June 2018 }}</ref> Universities that qualify, can receive the CheddarU service for free. CheddarU is part of the ChedNet division of Cheddar, a division focusing on bringing the service to public screens such as gyms, bars, airports, hotels and other public venues.<ref name="CED Magazine">{{cite news |last1=Fletcher |first1=Bevin |title=Cheddar Acquires MTV Networks on Campus from Viacom |url=https://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2018/06/cheddar-acquires-mtv-networks-campus-viacom |accessdate=10 June 2018 |publisher=CED Magazine |date=June 1, 2018 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141021/https://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2018/06/cheddar-acquires-mtv-networks-campus-viacom |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="WSJ - MTV">{{cite news |last1=Mullin |first1=Benjamin |title=Streaming Service Cheddar Targets College Students After Acquiring MTV Campus Distribution Network |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/streaming-service-cheddar-targets-college-students-after-acquiring-mtv-campus-network-1527793750 |accessdate=10 June 2018 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 31, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Cord Cutters">{{cite news |last1=Bouma |first1=Luke |title=Viacom is selling MTV Campus Networks to Cheddar |url=https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/viacom-is-selling-mtv-campus-networks-to-cheddar/ |accessdate=10 June 2018 |publisher=Cord Cutters |date=May 31, 2018}}</ref> CheddarU officially launched in over 650 campuses on July 26, 2018, and was rolled out to all campuses by August 1, 2018.<ref name="CheddarU Launch">{{cite web |title=CheddarU Launches to More Than 650 Campuses Reaching 7+ Million Students |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180726005539/en/CheddarU-Launches-to-More-Than-650-Campuses-Reaching-7-Million-Students |website=Business Wire |access-date=15 October 2024}}</ref>  It is unclear when it shut down. In February 2024, it was announced that CheddarU’s college network screens were acquired by Trooh Media.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Trooh on LinkedIn: Trooh Media CheddarU Press Release |url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/trooh-media_trooh-media-cheddaru-press-release-activity-7168369585782468608-YrRK?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAC0sXYUBxPiq0J8sFs7Y62heRJKiq0v5O74 |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|https://cheddar.com/cheddaru}}

{{Altice USA}}

[[Category:Altice USA]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2002]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in New York City]]
[[Category:2018 mergers and acquisitions]]


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