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111 Hits will target 24-54’s.

Lost, 24, ER, and Two and a Half Men are some of the shows due on the new 111 Hits channel.

111 HITS, which launches on November 1st will be aimed squarely at the lucrative advertiser-friendly 25-54 demographic, as a move to compete with the new standard definition digital channels by commercial networks.

It will program US hits primarily from the Warner Bros, Disney and 20th Century Fox studios, including Friends, Will & Grace, Ally McBeal, The Wonder Years, That 70s Show, ER, Murphy Brown, Alf, Lost, 24 and Baywatch.

The schedule from 6.30pm each weeknight begins with Murphy Brown, The King of Queens, That 70s Show, Dharma & Greg, Friends and Will & Grace. Nine’s major US hit this year, Two and a Half Men, will screen five nights a week (at the same time) in 2009.

“Collectively, our ambition is to take audience away from the free-to-airs,” Foxtel executive director of television and marketing Brian Walsh told The Australian.

“If anything, this will take audiences away from the three commercials.”

“It will be great to have a channel that shows programs consistently and reliably,” he said.

“We promise a dedicated schedule that won’t change.”

The channel will comprise part of the Get Started package and be run from the Comedy Channel base in Melbourne.

Press Release:
FOXTEL today announced the iconic programming line-up for its exciting new entertainment channel 111 HITS which launches on November 1, 2008. The channel comes from the FOXTEL Owned & Operated group which is behind the ASTRA Award winning channels FOX8, W., Arena and FOX Classics.

111 HITS will be the new home to television’s biggest hits and some of the most-loved programs in television history, including critically acclaimed dramas and award-winning comedies. It’s triple the stars, triple the memories and triple the hits.

Top-rating and ground-breaking series such as Friends’ Will & Grace, Ally McBeal, The Wonder Years, That ’70s Show, ER, Murphy Brown, Alf, Lost, 24 and Baywatch are just some of the programs that capture the energy, fun, heart and soul of this new channel.

FOXTEL Executive Director of Television and Marketing, Brian Walsh said: “The television you love now has a brand new home on 111 HITS, bringing the best of TV from the ’80s, ’90s and today, together at one FOXTEL destination.”

111 HITS will be presented to audiences in a new format offering blocks of programming across the day. For FOXTEL subscribers this means the best dramas are delivered as movie length double episodes and comedies are grouped together based on genre and audience profile.

Walsh continued: “The unique programming blocks on 111 HITS have been strategically targeted based on audience viewing habits of these programs gathered from FOXTEL’s research. It will ensure that once you arrive at 111 HITS you”ll never want to leave.

“111 HITS is a wonderful addition to FOXTEL’s stable of channels’ and provides an even wider range of sought after programming ensuring our subscribers will always love what’s on FOXTEL seven days a week.”

With the introduction of 111 HITS, viewer favourite FOX Classics will be re-positioned to celebrate the legendary television series’ from the ’60s and ’70s including Mash, Petticoat Junction, Lost In Space, as well as continuing its much-loved Bill Collins’ Golden Years of Hollywood with Mr Movies himself. FOX Classics will continue to honour the films of James Bond which have been ratings juggernauts for the channel throughout the 2008/09 summer season.

FOXTEL is also pleased to announce Alex Ristevski as the new Channel Manager for 111 HITS. As Group Channel Manager for 111 HITS and THE COMEDY CHANNEL, Ristevski will operate the channel from FOXTEL’s Melbourne studios.

111 HITS will be part of FOXTEL’s Get Started package, enabling all subscribers to enjoy watching the most successful shows in television history. Find 111 HITS at channel 111 on FOXTEL’s Electronic Program Guide.

On November 1, 2008 FOXTEL is also launching two new family-oriented channels exclusively to its subscribers – CBeebies, an ad free channel for pre-school children and BBC Knowledge which is a documentary channel. Both unique channels are from BBC Worldwide, FOXTEL’s subscription television partner in Australia.

Source: The Australian

68 Responses

  1. I have now seen the ads saying 111 Hits is now coming to Austar in March….yes they seemed to have listened to all the upset customers, but what’s the bet they make us pay extra for the channel.

  2. i was excited for channel 111 mainly because the shows i love have been canceled off the other channels so that they are exclusively on 111 hits.
    only to find out that as an austar viewer i cant get 111 hits.
    so i miss out on malcom in the middle and friends etc.
    thats a joke

  3. A lady from Austar has contacted me through my Facebook group (“Bring 111 Hits to Austar”) and informed me that Austar will be getting 111 Hits in March. Apparently they finally listened to their customers!

  4. Looks like I will have to download more shows off the net and reduce my subscription to the bare minimum/or cancel all together. When quick broadband comes Pay TV will become irrelevant. They are cutting their own throats by ignoring the will of the people.

  5. It didn’t take me to long after the 1st November, to figure out that as an Austar subscriber I have been let down again… I tried so many times to enter 111 into my remote as every time I used the scroll key the channel just kept changing from 108 – 112. At first I thought to myself maybe its a channel that you need to pay more for, but then found out that it was only available to Foxtel subscribers – how lucky for them I say, – you know why……..

    The following few days I attemtped to watch some of my favorite shows, you know that ones that you have probably seen a number of times before, but they still make you laugh. Well not anymore – see those shows are no longer on Austar channels as they have all been moved over to 111 which is not available to Austar subscribers. Even shows that were on channels that you pay extra for each month are now lost to Austar viewers for who knows how long…….until they start to charge us extra for channel 111… Thanks Austar thats why we love you….

  6. It’s me again, for the third time, just wanted to comment that I’ve now noticed a teeny disclaimer on the bottom of the Tv Hits ads…..not available at this time to Austar subscribers…….obviously they have had a ton of complaints…..but check my message above, when I told them they need a disclaimer they replied that they don’t because they are nothing to do with Foxtel……..well Austar it seems you’ve changed your mind…….morons.

  7. For those who have Austar and dont get Channel 111 – you are missing out on nothing. Its just full repeats of Will and Grace, Malcolm in the Middle, King of Queens, Friends. And a few random token TV shows that are on TV when most people cant watch it.

    I dont understand why Foxtel and Austar have TV shows that people wanna watch. Its not that hard. How about the following

    Step By Step, Major Dad, Gimme a Break, Soap, 21 Jump Street, Punky Brewster, Maud, Greatest American Hero, Super Dave Show, Barney Miller, Rosanne, Benson, Bosom Buddies, Charles in Charge, Chips, Hill Street Blues, Dear John, Diff’rent Strokes, Doogie Howser, M.D., Parker Lewis Cant Loose, Empty Nest, The Facts of Life, Growing Pains, Hart to Hart, The Jeffersons, Jennifer Slept Here, Joanie Loves Chachi, Love Boat, Mr. Belvedere, Murphy Brown (put on at a time people can actually watch), Newhart (and BOB), Perfect Strangers, Quantum Leap, Silver Spoons, Taxi, Three’s Company, The Who’s the Boss?, WKRP In Cincinnati, The Wonder Years (at a time that everyone can watch)…

    Those of us from the 80’s remember these shows and yes they were crappy …but at least it was entertaining…

  8. Forgive my ignorance, pehaps I am not understanding things correctly, but don’t Foxtel customers get the benfit of all those fabulous repackaged channels and programs on Fox Classics and Arena AND 111 too?

    Ah well, that’s what I get for moving to the country…

  9. I phoned them today…and again with the “up yours attitude”

    I have never been happy with austar but it is the only option that I have for pay tv as they hold the monoply here in my town….(if I lived in next suburb I would have austar and be watching better programs…)

    I have now told them that I have dropped my service down to basic package. I will not add any extras until they deliver what they promise…..I am only keeping the basic so my kids can watch their cartoons.

    Austars customers service is unbelievably bad and they really have a “i dont care attitude”…when you phone to complain to them, their customer service team talk over you, wont listen and in some cases hang up….

    Rude Austar, very very rude

  10. Austar and foxtel seperate entities? What a load of crap. Why then between shows does the Foxtel and Austar logos come up at the same time. I certainly will be calling them to inform them of mine and many others anger over this absolute scam. If they don’t get it together I’m just gonna cancel my subscription. It is simply bad business and I’m paying the same rates to receive second rate service. I hope Austar is bombarded with irate customers.

  11. Very poor from Austar tv not letting your loyal viewers know that they wont be enjoying the new channel 111. We still have to endure constant remainder of what Foxtel viewers will get and we wont.

  12. Bad form Austar…

    here is their response to my email

    Thanks for your email.

    AUSTAR doesn’t have any current plans to launch either channel 111, Cbeebees or BBC Knowledge although some of the channels on our existing line-up have taken this opportunity to refine their core programming.

    Arena and FOX Classics, for example, offers fantastic programming from years gone by. Now they are able to add even more classics from the 60’s and 70’s with the addition of several new shows such as Hart to Hart, The Odd Couple, Lost in Space. We’ve included a list below.

    Arena is building upon its amazing success since it was relaunched some months back. Fantastic programs such as Project Runway, Shear Genius and Top Chef will now be joined by a range of new programs that focus on personal style, including a whole block from The Style channel with shows such as Dress My Nest, Style Her Famous, and Modern Girls Guide To Life.

    In saying all this, we are always looking for new content and the 100 or so channels we presently have on offer provides our customers with fantastic programming, offering something for everyone, both the old and the new with many premiere shows never been seen on free to air television.

    New programming coming to FOX Classics and Arena

    FOX Classics:
    · The Odd Couple
    · Hart to Hart
    · Mannix
    · Lost In Space
    · The Addams Family
    · The Saint
    · Petticoat Junction
    · The High Chaparral

    Arena:
    · Cristina’s Court
    · One Tree Hill
    · Instant Beauty Pageant
    · Style Network Block: Dress My Nest / Style Her Famous / Modern Girls
    · Guide To Life
    · Style By Jury

  13. Alrighty! I emailed Austar at [email protected] and they basically told me that Foxtel and Austar are 2 completely different companies, nothing to do with each other……which leads me to ask Foxtel….why did you advertise to Austar viewers then??
    Oh and I was also told that Austar has absolutely no plans to air this new channel EVER.

    Here is some of their email….

    “There was no need for a disclaimer advising that AUSTAR would not be adding these channels to their current channe line up as AUSTAR and Foxtel are total separate entities. The only similiarity between the two companies is that they are competitors in the subscription television market. Although our programming base may have similarities AUSTAR is not obligated to to provide identical channel selections.

    AUSTAR doesn’t have any current plans to launch either channel 111, Cbeebees or BBC Knowledge although some of the channels on our existing line-up have taken this opportunity to refine their core programming. ”

    They then went on to give me a list of their new programmes, including such awesomeness as Petticoat Juncion :s

    Well, it looks like we definitely won’t be getting the new channel advertised to us constantly……regional areas treated like second class citizens again!

  14. Another disgruntled Austar subscriber here! I have been so excited to see all of the shows that I have seen advertised, only to find that I get ripped off!
    As someone else mentioned, there should have been a disclaimer at the bottom of those ads saying something like ‘Channel only available to Foxtel Subscribers, Not available to Austar and Optus Subscribers’.

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