MTV Hits is an American music video channel that debuted on May 1, 2002. Unlike present day MTV, MTV Hits plays music videos all day, every day, with very few commercials. Like the other digital MTV/VH1 channels, MTV Hits is based on the original programming format that MTV2 followed, in which eight hours of videos are programmed each day—airing first at 6 a.m. eastern time, and then repeated twice, starting again at 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.. A completely new cycle begins on the next day at 6 a.m..