Rapture TV was a previously free-to-air satellite television station (although now an exclusively online channel) operated from the United Kingdom,[citation needed] founded in 1997.

Focusing mostly on electronic dance music and extreme sports, it is notable for the number of times it has failed financially only to be relaunched.

[6] In October 1999, Rapture TV made its first acquisition, Clubavision, produced by London Weekend Television,[7] as well as an agreement with Channel 4 to relay thirty hours of its output per week.

[9] For New Year's Eve, the channel planned to air a five-part documentary about Radio 1 DJ Carl Cox's two gigs in Sydney and Honolulu.

On 27 September a meeting was being held at the now-defunct Rapture TV studio at Anglia's facilities, eyeing a massive cut of its staff, which before the crisis was estimated to be at 40.

[21] After the cuts were announced, Rapture greenlighted its first independent commission, Club Class[22] and a co-production with Ministry of Sound to broadcast a concert held at the Millennium Dome.

UBM placed the channel on the market in January 2001,[24] but as it was unable to find a buyer, UBM announced in September that it would close the channel later in 2001, pending a consultation regarding the date of its closedown, with the loss of 46 jobs and debts estimated at £12 million,[25][26] before closing down on 31 October, notably playing "Rapture" by iio as its final track over pictures of the station staff.

By April 2004 it was running on an almost autopilot, having moved (again) to EPG channel 205, with a somewhat randomised playlist of a few videos, reruns of old club nights overnight, and extreme sports in the day.

Although the satellite TV became cheaper to enter, many operators rushed onto the scene without a viable business plan that would make money.

[33] The re-launched Rapture TV showed clubbing and extreme sports, programming that the channel is well known for, as well as new programmes from genres such as comedy and drama.

In addition, programmes focusing on computer games and technology, including Cybernet (previously seen on ITV) and G@mers, an in-house production were added to the lineup.

On 25 April 2007, Rapture published a statement that outlined the temporary cut off of the channel, whilst giving details of upgrading the site with more content and on-demand video.

In October 2007, a new feature was added enabling viewers to select music videos to play on the live stream for free via the Rapture website.

[37] Rapture continued to be very vocally critical of Sky and the various related Murdoch companies on public forums for some time before focusing their efforts elsewhere.