The Tube Goes Down the Tubes

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Digital multicast channel The Tube “ceased its national broadcast” Oct. 1, according to a statement on the music-video network’s home page.

The brainchild of music-industry veteran Les Garland, The Tube launched in June 2005 on 30 Raycom Media stations. Its mission was airing the videos that were once a staple at MTV. Months after launch, Garland announced distribution deals with station groups such as Tribune and Sinclair Broadcast Group.

Neither Tube nor Raycom executives could be reached for comment.

On its Web site, The Tube thanked record executives, artists, investors, TV partners and viewers for their support as the network “struggled through the financial limitations that ultimately contributed to its incapacitated state.”

Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.