On what date did MTV Europe begin broadcasting from Amsterdam in 1987?

MTV Europe began broadcasting from Amsterdam on 1 August 1987.

The pan-European channel was created as MTV’s first major international expansion beyond the United States. Its launch made MTV-branded music television available across multiple European markets, although programming and advertising later became increasingly localized.

MTV Europe initially served a broad multilingual audience rather than one national market. The channel’s first broadcast is often confused with MTV’s original U.S. launch, which took place on 1 August 1981. The two launches were exactly six years apart.

MTV Europe eventually developed into separate national and regional services, including MTV UK and Ireland and MTV Germany. Even so, 1 August 1987 remains the key date associated with the channel’s original launch.