MTV2 began broadcasting as simply M2 on August 1, 1996 – MTV's 15th anniversary – with Beck's "Where It's At" being the first video to air. In its first few years on the air, M2 was restricted to satellite television plus the few, small markets where digital cable was then available, limiting its audience reach to around 12 million homes by 2000. MTV2's early years was known for its playful or ironic programming decisions that underscored the channel's free-wheeling, subversive attitude.