The new FOX Crime TV channel which TV with Thinus reported at the beginning of the month will be starting on MultiChoice's DStv platform in July now has a starting date of 19 July at 19:00 and a channel number of 126.
I've reported previously that the addition of FOX Crime will bring the total number to 7 of Fox TV channels which will be available in South Africa from July after Fox International Channels Africa (FIC Africa) and MultiChoice have entered into a carriage agreement for FOX Crime which is already seen in Mozambique and Angola.
FIC Africa already runs FX (TopTV 110), Fox Retro (TopTV 181), National Geographic Channel (DStv 181), Nat Geo Wild (DStv 182), BabyTV (TopTV 257) and FOX (TopTV 180 / DStv 125) in South Africa.
The carriage agreement between FIC Africa and MultiChoice to run FOX Crime in South Africa gives FIC Africa the opportunity to do niche programming and to focus on specific target audiences.
Since FOX Crime will contain a lot of library titles but also first-run exclusive content for the territory with new American drama series such as The Bridge, FOX Crime will only be for DStv Premium subscribers. FOX Crime will be broadcast as a standard definition (SD) channel.
FOX Crime will compete in an expansive genre set with existing channels focusing on crime and forensic crime solving storytelling such as Crime & Investigation Network (DStv 170), ID: Investigation Discovery (TopTV 303 / DStv 171), CBS Reality (DStv 132) and Universal Channel (DStv 117) on DStv, and Top Crime (TopTV 303) and Fox Retro (TopTV 110) on TopTV.
Shows on FOX Crime will include The Bridge which will roll-out episodes 2 days in South Africa after the American broadcasting date, the Law & Order series, Criminal Minds, Blue Bloods and 70s and 80s library titles such as CHiPS currently on SABC3, Magnum P.I. coming to SABC3 and Streets of San Francisco.
Interestingly FOX Crime will also prop up the schedule with blended factual content between the fiction with shows such as 48 Hours, the Arrest and Trial show which was a factual add-on show to Law & Order as well as a documentary strand specifically created for Africa entitled "Case Files Africa" which will cover "infamous crime stories from across the continent".
"We're extremely excited to launch in Africa, one of the most successful Fox channel brands worldwide. With the addition of FOX Crime, we're refashioning the meaning of fully-fledged schedules across our Fox channels," says Alessandro Tucci, FOX senior vice president and general manager for Africa.
"The amount of quality programming that is being premiered, continued and revived will definitely place FOX Crime in a good position on the platform. The channel's unique proposition of both drama and factual programming places it as the go-to-channel for all things crime," says Alessandro Tucci.
"There's something for every individual crime story fan and that will surely keep what is one of the most successful genres captivating for the audiences we are targeting," he says.
"FOX Crime has been very successful internationally and we expect that it will keep crime and investigation lovers in South Africa entertained," says Collins Khumalo, the CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.
"The channel is a great compliment to our other local channels dedicated to the crime genre. It includes some of the best crime and investigation programmes on offer. We are delighted to be adding this channel onto the DStv platform," says Collins Khumalo.
