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A&E channel to launch in February

Foxtel's new male-skewed channel will feature MegaTruckers, Storage Wars, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Pawn Stars, American Pickers and more.

Foxtel’s newest channel A&E, with factual content aimed at males, will launch on Thursday February 16.

Available on HD Channel 607 and SD Channel 230 it kicks off at 6.30PM AEDT -although the Foxtel owned and operated channel was originally announced as launching on Australia Day.

A&E will feature Australian premiere seasons of Storage Wars, Storage Wars Texas, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Billy The Exterminator, Pawn Stars and American Pickers from US cable giant A+E Networks.

One hour special MegaTruckers (pictured) from Cordell Jigsaw (Bondi Rescue, Go Back to Where You Came From) will screen on launch day, before being developed as a series later in 2012. It follows blue collar hero Jon Kelly, the man who built Heavy Haulage Australia from scratch, and his “hard as nails” drivers hauling some of the world’s largest and heaviest loads across the treacherous Australian terrain.

Executive Director of Television Brian Walsh says, “A&E will be the one stop destination for heart stopping unscripted, authentic and realentertainment series’ combined to create an intense, immediate and inspiring environment that is relevant to its audience.

“This channel further strengthens our relationship with global media company, A+E Networks, producer and distributor of some of the world’s leading television channels and content. Through a commercial partnership, Foxtel operates A+E Networks’ brands in Australia. A&E now joins stable mates, History, Crime & Investigation Network and Bio, on Foxtel. We are delighted to welcome A&E to the Foxtel platform.”

Foxtel’s Head of Factual, Jim Buchan said, “There’s no denying that character driven factual entertainment is now hugely popular the world over. We’re thrilled to be showcasing the best of it all on our new exciting channel brand A&E along with our own ‘home grown’ content.”

Australian exclusive premiere series on A&E include:

Storage Wars: The stakes are high; the rivalries are intense; the drama is explosive. Get set for a wild ride as Storage Wars follow teams of bidders looking to score it big in the high stakes world of storage auctions. Storage unit auctions are the newest and biggest untapped source for hidden treasures, and opportunistic individuals bid on unclaimed properties hoping to strike gold.

Shipping Wars: Dive into the cutthroat world of heavy-duty movers as they battle for the chance to transport the un-shippable. The competition begins with uShip, the world’s largest online auction house for independent truckers. The battle is fierce as the movers have only minutes to bid, and the lowest bidder gets the load. The race is on as they set out to deliver the loads in time, and any setback can cost big bucks.

As well as Storage Hunters, American Hoggers and Big Shrimpin’.

Plus exclusive first run seasons of the hit series:

Pawn Stars, brings viewers inside the doors of the only family-run pawnshop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men from the Harrison family buy and sell collectible, unusual and historically significant items. Their customers, often as colorful as the merchandise, are carrying on a centuries-old practice: pawning or selling their possessions to make a quick buck.

Ice Road Truckers: For two months out of every year, a group of exceptional men and women find their way to the Canadian tundra to undertake one of the most dangerous jobs on earth. In blizzard conditions, these truckers travel over ice roads and frozen lakes with every trucker trained in self survival, from fixing his truck in sub zero conditions in seconds to escaping from a truck if the ice cracks. On the other end of the journey are the miners whose lives depend on the truckers making it to their base.

As well as Swamp People, Axe Men, American Pickers, Dog The Bounty Hunter and IRT: Deadliest Roads.

22 Responses

  1. Buck that’s the problem with the current system.Foxtel is very disadvantaged when it comes to programs.FTA can take any cable show and show it in Australia.Anywhere else in the world FTA can’t touch any cable shows at all.We have the best FTA in the world is that fair.No it’s not a even playing field

  2. @ Ben yes they will show Storage Wars Texas aswell. And @ Big V yes they will show it in HD aswell. Geeez!!!! don’t you guys pay attention when you read, David already said all that. if you don’t understand what your reading, keep reading until you do.

  3. It would be cool if they could air all of the Paranormal State episodes in proper order, since it is an original A&E show.

    Bio show most of season one, some of season two then a grab bag of random eps from different seasons.

    I don’t believe in ghosts or demons, I just find the show unintentionally hilarious.

  4. @ Jess – I don’t think so . I have seen ads on 7 mate advertising Pawn Stars etc new in 2012.

    I think it is just that pay tv has rights to the newest seasons and 7 would probably have to wait and hence show eps from 2 or so years ago.

  5. This channel sounds like crap, yet I am required to pay a higher monthly subscription fee just for the (supposed) privilege of having Yet another channel that I do not want and will not watch.

    I have been a Foxtel subscriber since 1998 and I am on the verge of cancelling it. Almost everything they show can be seen for free on the free to air channels.

    Not happy foxtel.

  6. It seems like nearly All of this channels’ content is already showing on 7Mate. Does this mean that 7Mate has lost American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Swamp People, etc.? They seem to rate so well for them.

  7. Would like to know if its on Austar as well their was no signs of it in the December Mag just something about Fox Footy channel being on channel 504 and HD version being on 206. So either Speed HD is moving channel numbers or Fox Footy HD is replacing it. The joys of being a Austar Customer

  8. Mega Truckers looks awesome! Went to an A&E presentation recently and it looked great! Mega Truckers looks like a great Aussie production in this genre and I could imagine it taking off in the US as well!

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