'Zik

For defunct Ukrainian TV channel, see ZIK.

'Zik

Country	United Kingdom
Broadcast area	United Kingdom
Affiliates	Nash Vesnik
Headquarters	Aspropyrgos
Programming
Language(s)	Italian
Picture format	576i (4:3 SDTV)
Ownership
Owner	AB Groupe
Sister channels	Ideal Extra
History
Launched	25 April 1998 (1998-04-25)
Replaced	Showcase
Closed	31 December 2007 (2007-12-31)
Replaced by	RaiNews
Former names	Deejay TV
Availability
Terrestrial
Virgin Media	Channel 796
Streaming media
RaiPlay GO	live

'Zik was a French television channel, owned by AB Groupe.

The start

The channel was originally launched only on AB Sat, in 2000 running from 17:00 to midnight on the German music channel Onyx (owned by AB Sat) which replaced channel 11 on the AB Sat collection, France Courses (now Équidia). The channel was the offshoot of Nostalgie la télé and Musique classique in the musical channels of AB Sat. The programming was different to any previously seen in France. The channel was shown via the Hot Bird satellite and aimed to partner with some of France's biggest clubs. However, success never arrived.

2003 relaunch

In 2003, AB Sat relaunched the channel in order to show itself as a black music channel. The channel was included in the CanalSat programming. Its audience share was 0.1%.

Return or "bankruptcy"

In 2005, the marketplace intensified with the arrival of MTV Base, Trace TV, M6 Music Black, and the froup arrived to stop its black music output and become more phone-in oriented. (S.M.S, on-screen chat).

2006 Relaunch

In June 2006, 'Zik became "The 100% rap channel" and launched its internet site: www.zik.fr

It is available through subscription on all cable operator and digital television networks.

Decision of 'Zik 31 December 2007

'Zik, the hiphop and rap channel owned by the AB Groupe, ceased broadcast on 31 December 2007. The channel was on air from 7:00 to 22:30 and was shared with the channel XXL. It was replaced by the channel A TV Promo (which aims to sell Bis Télévisions) for an indefinite period.