News

A+E Networks® UK extended distribution of its new free-to-air channel BLAZE™, following a deal with subscription-free satellite TV platform Freesat.

On Monday 31st October, BLAZE became available to the 1.9 million Freesat homes on channel number 162. The announcement came six weeks after the successful global debut of the new entertainment brand in the UK on Freeview (Channel 83), Sky (Channel 565) and as a TV Everywhere service www.blaze.tv/catchup. 

Heather Jones, UK General Manager, A+E Networks, said: “We are very excited to bring BLAZE to a further 1.9 million homes via Freesat.  We are delighted with how audiences are embracing the array of shows on BLAZE, with much of our content free-to-air exclusives.”

With the launch of BLAZE on Freesat, the channel is now available to nearly 21 million viewers on UK free-to-air platforms. It is also available to over 12.4 million Sky subscribers.

BLAZE offers viewers a range of premiere episodes of popular shows such as Pawn Stars, Mountain Men and American Restoration, as well as fascinating crime content including the new and exclusive Homicide Hunter series.

Alistair Thom, Managing Director of Freesat said: “We are thrilled to add BLAZE to our channel line-up. Freesat viewers already enjoy more than 200 TV & radio channels across a range of genres. BLAZE will boost our entertainment offering for viewers who want to enjoy brilliant TV without paying a monthly subscription.”

BLAZE is A+E Networks International’s second free-to-air (FTA) channel to launch this year, following the debut of FTA channel, Lifetime®, to 20 million homes in Turkey in April.  The launch further demonstrates the company’s ability to operate hybrid pay-tv and FTA channels in select markets. In the UK, the A+E Networks channel portfolio currently includes HISTORY®, Lifetime, Crime + Investigation® and H2®, available on Pay TV platforms Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk.

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