ZTV was a Swedish television channel owned by Viasat. Launched in February 1991, as a daily afternoon show on TV3 and TV4, it became a channel of its own on Swedish cable networks in May 1992. The intention was to create a Swedish version of MTV and thus the focus was primarily on music, but also had their own comedy-oriented shows, skate and prank related shows and aired various tv shows and movies. Since May 2006, most of its programming composed of music videos. ZTV's last day was August 1, 2010 for all customers except for Boxer and Com Hem, who continued to distribute the channel indefinitely in a limited version. MTG's new sports channel TV10 took over the transmissions of other operators.
History ZTV was initially also a combined radio station called Z-Radio. The sound from the television programme went out also in radio through a number of commercial radio frequencies around the country. In autumn 1991, Z-Radio started broadcasting in the greater Stockholm areaRIX FM, Thomas Nilsson, retrieved 15 July 2026 and started broadcasting a television version for TV3 and TV4 in 1991.Piratkanalen som ritade om tv-kartan, Dagens industri, retrieved 15 July 2026 (requires subscription) ZTV began broadcasting on their own channel position on 1 May 1992 and was owned by MTG, who also owned TV3 (Sweden) and TV6 (Sweden). Aside from music videos the channel featured many shows produced in Sweden. Although they were low budget they also featured new ideas and many of them received cult status. Most of the presenters went on to become stars on the major networks with ZTV being viewed as a breeding ground for new talent.
For a few years, there was a Danish ZTV, but it eventually merged with Danish TV6 to form TV3+ and was closed down in 1996. There were also plans to merge the Swedish ZTV with the Swedish TV6, but this never materialised.
In January 1996, it announced an upsize in local content.Z-TV vill överraska de leklystna och nyvakna https://www.dn.se/arkiv/kultur/z-tv-vill-overraska-de-leklystna-och-nyvakna/], Dagens Nyheter, 30 January 2026, retrieved 15 July 2026 (requires subscription) Jacob Lyth was appointed head of the channel in January 1997.Premiär: Ny chef förnyar ZTV. Experimentellt och lätt att hitta är Jacob Lyths mål, Dagens Nyheter, 28 January 1997, retrieved 15 July 2026 (requires subscription)
As the years went on, ZTV moved from Stockholm to London and started broadcasting US imports such as The Late Show with David Letterman and The Simpsons. ZTV started broadcasting 24 hours a day in 2000. In 2002, a Norwegian version of ZTV launched, ZTV Norway.
September 2004 marked a significant change in style for the channel. Instead of being a youth channel, ZTV would now target men. As a result, most of the in-house ZTV shows were cancelled and replaced by Champions League football and wrestling.
In May 2006, MTG started a new channel called TV6. This channel took over most of the programming from ZTV, as well as its frequencies in the cable networks and its subscribers. This meant that ZTV lost all of its distribution.
In late 2006, MTG started a new online venture to allow ZTV to become a youth channel again. ZTV was converted into a multimedia platform (online TV, mobile and broadcasting) with a focus on online TV. A new short TV format (short video clips) introduced to be broadcast on ztv.se including live broadcasting of E-sports (electronic sports) with the possibility of betting on e-sports matches such as Counter Strike.
In late 2007, ZTV started to broadcast various anime series such as Berserk, Black Lagoon, Ergo Proxy, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gungrave, Naruto, Ninja Scroll, Paranoia Agent, and Samurai Champloo.
There was also a Z magazine available for some time.
Productions Abrakadabra Arkiv Z Avspark Babbla med Babsan Bacon Bambola Baren Direkt Beckerell Blommor & Bin Bio Biocheck Biotoppen Boys in da House Bumtsibum Centrum Citykaos Clubhopping Cumbaya Crossfade Diskus E Edge Efter plugget En präst i natten Estrad Favoriter FC Z Filmjournalen Flavor of the Week Folklistan Funhouse Färg TV HC Z Hemkunskap Hemma Hos Hip-Hop och Soul Homogen Humlan HultsfredsfestivalenJag, Peter Jolanda den tredje Josefins värld JustD-TV Kalender für alle Kamikaze Knesset Kollo Kompis Lobby Locash Lyckochansen Lördagsmoss Maffia Mamma, det är en kändis i köket! Massa Megafestival Matprat med Peter Gaszynski och Mikael Karis Moment 21 Morronmix MorronZoo Musikmagasinet Musikmagasinet Rock Musikredaktionen rekommenderar Nattmusik OSA Parasoll Pepsi Live Peter, khakimannen Plektrum Pole Position Pop TV Pyjamas På drift På riktigt Rallarsving Recensenten Redaktionen Redaktören Rock Steady Crew Samantha SandalSanning & Konsekvens Scandinavian Top 20 Sexuellt Sommarstad Gotland Streetsmart Swedish Dance Chart Swedish Dance Music Awards Svärje Techno Terror TV The White Room 1200 Tommy Tommy på duken Toppen Tribut Tryck till Tullhus 2 TV für Alle TV-huset Tryck till Uppladdat Veckans hitvarning Ventil Videosnack Vinterstad Åre Världens bästa musik Västmannagatan 44A Wimans Wimans 2 Zapp! Z Film ZTV-nytt ztv.se ZTV Presenterar ZTV på väg 800 Grader Äntligen Fredag Önska@ZTV
In popular culture ZTV was the topic of a 2026 SVT documentary series, ZTV – det stora tv-experimentet (ZTV: The Great TV Experiment), which was followed in May of that year by a two-episode revival of its talk show Knesset..Karolina Fjellborg, En massiv nostalgitripp för generation X, Aftonbladet, 22 April 2026, retrieved 15 July 2026
See also TV3 TV8 TV1000 Modern Times Group List of Swedish television channels
References
External links ZTV Sweden