New channel coming: 7mate
The Seven Network has announced a new digital channel, 7mate, to launch on September 25, aimed at men 16-49.
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The Seven Network has announced a new digital channel, 7mate, to launch on September 25, aimed at men 16-49.
It will launch with high definition coverage of the AFL Grand Final.
Seven’s CEO, David Leckie said, “Seven is Australia’s most-watched network and our suite of multi-channels delivers more viewers than anyone else,.
“7mate is the next step in building on our leadership in broadcast television. 7mate is going to be great.
“The launch of 7mate delivers us a tremendous platform of channels targeting specific audience demographics – leveraging our primary channel’s success with women and 7TWO’s targeting of a 25+ adult audience.
“We’re delighted to be the first commercial network to move to three channels. With 7HD we were first into multi-channelling for the commercial networks and this is another significant step for our television business,” Mr Leckie said.
Programming Chief Tim Worner, said “We’re using the biggest sports event to launch 7mate but this new channel will be so much more than sport. We are after the most elusive demographic in media and we think we’ve got the offering to get them.”
New episodes of Family Guy, American Dad, Parks And Recreation and Last Comic Standing will lead the primetime comedy schedule. 3o Rock, How I Met Your Mother, That 70’s Show, Scrubs and Crank Yankers round out the laughs. New drama will include the sci-fi series Caprica and the adventure series Warehouse 13 and Stargate Atlantis. The reality slate will feature US ratings hits Jersey Shore and Pawn Stars, along with popular MTV series Punk’d and Gene Simmons Family Jewels, featuring the controversial KISS guitarist and his LA-based family, and Monster Garage with Jesse G. James. Factual on 7mate will see series such as Fifth Gear, The Universe, Life After People, The Boneyard, Ax Men, Jacked: Auto Theft Taskforce, Mega Movers, Mega Structures, Air Crash Investigations and Shockwave in primetime. 7mate will also be the home for first-run big movies for the blokes, including The Ringer, Strangers and Primeval.
Mr Worner said: “The channel is not designed to alienate female viewers. On the contrary we will be launching several initiatives that will see the female audience watching 7mate as well.”
To receive 7mate from 25 September, viewers will need to tune into channel 73 on an HD capable Digital TV, PVR or set top box. If you have an analogue television you will need to connect your old TV to an HD capable Digital set top box, PVR, or Digital recorder and tune in to channel 73.
A new website is online at yahoo7.com.au/tv
A spokesperson from Seven told TV Tonight: “7mate replaces 7HD, as this is all we can fit in our spectrum until 2013 or the end of Analog.
“It will be Broadcast as per 7HD currently is but will appear on channel 73.
“On Grand Final day 7mate will simulcast with Seven and then commence life as its own full time HD channel.”
This post updates.
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- Tagged with 3o Rock, AFL, Air Crash Investigations, American Dad, Ax Men, Caprica, Crank Yankers, Family Guy, Fifth Gear, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, How I Met Your Mother, Jacked: Auto Theft Taskforce, Jersey Shore, Last Comic Standing, Life After People, Mega Movers, Mega Structures, Monster Garage, Parks and Recreation, Pawn Stars, Punk’d, Scrubs, Shockwave, Stargate: Atlantis, That 70’s Show, The Boneyard, The Universe, Warehouse 13
194 Responses
7mate – it would appear they’ve found a name that is perfect for finding rhyming words to mock it for all occasions.
7hate – if it sucks
7late – if it doesn’t start shows until 8 minutes after their scheduled time
7wait – if they don’t fasttrack.
And if through some miracle it isn’t awful: 7great
Will this be a full 3 rd channel, cos by the sounds of it it sounds like a breakaway channel. What is airing before prime time ? Is the channel 24 hr or just shown after Home and Away, eg 8.30pm to midnight ?
“7mate is going to be great.” Oh dear, i’m sure he thought hours on that and thought he was so clever. The name is absolutely horrible, and the way it’s used is just so bogan. This will succeed Nine as the bogan channel. Maybe that’s what they wanted.
On a good note, 30 Rock and Parks & Recreation in prime time…Hallelujah! Nothing much interesting for me though.
I was so excited with all these new digital channels coming, but they have all been massively disappointing. So many first run shows they could show Supernatural, Smallville, Monk, Psych, Pushing Daisies, Reaper, Chuck, 90210, Better Off Ted, Nurse Jackie, and instead the new channels show repeats of 2.5 Men, Big Bang Theory, Scrubs, That 70s Show in prime time spots. Now i wanted the new channels to play old classic shows but shows that finished a year or two ago or are still in production don’t need endless repeats when first run shows could be shown.
Rumour is Nine will launch “Gem” this afternoon.
Can’t Seven run 3 X SD and 1 X HD like the ABC so as to preserve 7HD as is? Although it would possibly mean dropping 7HD down to 720p? Just a suggestion.
Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock! Awesome. Hopefully they get decent timeslots!
Ugh.
Yuck, terrible name. Don’t think it’s appealing at all.
Any news as to whether southern cross in tas will carry this new channel?
Conan’s show is on TBS and is a Warner Bros production, so it’s more likely to end up on GO!.
the secret keeping here would have been huge. how is it that they acquired all those shows including some from 9&ten without any leaks? 7 have been the most quiet of the 3 regarding 3rd channels. ch73? i think mate78 would be better imo.
for a HD only channel they seem to have put a lot of money into it. jersey shore and pawn stars are 2 of american cables biggest shows.
Where’s the (inevitable) R-rated porn?
Crap name and line up. Only Family Guy and HIMYM appeals to me. I think 7 can see the year slipping away from them. Masterchef really hurt them for 14 weeks and Nine were able to catch up to them YTD. Ifthe X Factor doesn’t work they’re at risk of nine/go beating them, so they do a rush job 3rd channel to prop up there nightly shares.
Oh FFS, how much more American crap can Australia take?
Also, what straight male actually wants to watch Jersey Shore and Punk’d? Isn’t that for teenage girls with nothing better to do?
I’ll watch for Family Guy and American Dad, but the rest sound like a really bad Reality TV cable channel in America.
7mate? Umm no, just no. Shudders.
7 she’ll be right! 7sheila. 7swans are swimming. Couldn’t they have found a more neutral or appealing name. At least Go has a bit of a pulse to it. 7plus?
7mach2? I know they will never please everyone but…..
LOL – that name is as bad as Vegemite 2.0
While it is great to get another channel, it is frustrating to see 7HD go, as SD quality on a big screen is not as good quality. On a smaller screen, like 32″ its fine.
I usually PVR Rafters and City Homicide in HD, as they are they only shows on Seven that I watch.
Wow!
New Family Guy, American Dad, Caprica, Warehouse 13 and Stargate Atlantis!
Colour me excited! Of course, it could end up like Go! with scheduling changes, infomercials and endless repeats of How I met Your Mother.
Coming soon 10Sheila
I’m female and I’m already interested in caprica and warehouse 13.
Great…gonna be the best channel yet…. Hopefully they’ll bring Jay Leno on for late night!
@ CK I think there is a big market out there for 60’s-80’s TV, that’s why GO! is Australia’s highest rating digital channel and there should be more of it. Most of the new stuff on GO! gets yanked off within days because it’s not as good and doesn’t rate.
Will 7mate replace 7HD on channel 207 on the IQ2 set top box??
This is obviously designed to erode GO’s audience, but like Nine, they may find they just erode their own audience. The name and the logo do seem like a joke straight out of the Fast Forward writer’s room.
Now 7HD is going away