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
i reckon they should call it ‘7 Bogan’ :p
Hideous name. Full stop.
@Brenton 7/71/73 are LCNs (logical channel numbers) which all point to a single SD stream (7) not three separate streams, so no, there aren’t two “spare” channels that can be used as such.
All FTA commercial channels are required by law to broadcast 1080 hrs. of HD programming per year, so how does this work?
I guess it’s too soon to know about regional access… so far the second channels have been national, but will the same hold true for the HD channel? Things could get complicated if the affiliates want to hold onto their HD bandwidth.
I noticed recently that Southern Cross HD in Tas finally includes guide info; it’s still a simulcast, but before was pretty useless for PVRs (can’t schedule without the guide!)
I wonder if this is in preparation for 7mate…?
@daqua_99 – yeah, but where’s the fun in not complaining about the name?
Sounds good to me, onya 7. Come on 10 you need a 2nd sd channel really soon.
OK now I’m pi**ed… Here I was thinking good on 7 for picking up The X Factor, cos now we’ll be able to watch it in HD… now what? They go and do a 10/ABC and turn their HD channel into a load of crap which = no mainstream HD programming…. I can’t believe this!! 🙁
David – can you confirm whether the launch of this channel means that all HD programs on 7 will be lost? Having just spent a fair bit of money to get set up for full HD, it is a little annoying that the only channel that will have HD content is Channel 9, which I don’t watch.
Please explain!
Whenever something new is announced it always raises more questions than it answers. So I am currently pursing info re Foxtel and other regions.
My understanding is that aside from any simulcast programming (ie AFL) that yes this means shows on Seven will no longer be available in HD before 2013.
@ Billy – yes Cop Shop would be awesome. I’m hoping with the extra chs that all the classic oz dramas/soaps will be repeated. Shows like The Restless Years on a 10 ch or The Sullivans & The Young Doctors on a 9 one.
If there’s one thing I see on this site all the time is the anti bogan posts I never knew there were so many elitists watching Oz TV.
So no more 7HD for the Rafters or any other show on the main channel.
With new content only in HD it might be time to update the PVR to HD, I guess Nine will so the same for it’s 3rd channel and ONE digital will probably vanish as well when TEN launches their new one.
If & when PRiME does get 7mate it could go on Channel 63.
Do the five capital cities all have 7,70,71,72 and 73?
I live in Mackay QLD with the channel 7 signal, and we have five 7 network channels.
Channel 7, 71 and 73 all currently air the channel 7 signal with 70 in HD
with 72 as 7Two. Seven say there is no spectrum left until 2013 but surely the 71 is taking up spectrum not needed as this channel just stimulates 7.
So from Sept 25 can’t 7 be stimulated on 70HD, have 7TWO, have 7mate on 73 as in SD channel and ditch 71 to free up sprectum?
Does that make sense or am I off track with how sprectum works? Or a better idea turn off the anlalog signal tomorrow and have digital only.
Standby for 7sheila comming to a digital channel near you! 24hours a day of soapies and Hallmark made-for-tv movies…
Hang on. Does this mean that Seven will actually broadcast an AFL game in proper HD?
Wow, I think this is going to be my favourite channel.
I’m a female and the lineup sounds good to me, I’d watch lots of those shows.
Though I do think the name is pretty silly, imagine saying “what’s on mate?” ha!
I think hubby and me will just end up calling it “73” at home.
People complaining about the name, get a life. Seriously, everyone here has just criticised the name without offering any good suggestions. If they called it “7three” it would have been labeled as “boring”, if it was a genre-based name it would not have fit the style of programing that seven wants. People complaining about the name, come up with a better one.
This is a good move from Seven IMO. Seeing as the “battle” between Seven and Nine is often determined by digital figures this could potentially give Seven the extra 1-2% boost they need to win the ratings war. Also, it’s more variety and it doesn’t cost you a single cent? Compare where we are now, in terms of choice and variety, to 5 years ago and you will see we have so much more on offer. We have a Free 24 hour news service, we have a Free 24 hours sports broadcaster, we have 8 Free general entertainment channels (7,9,10, ABC, ABC2, Go, 7Two, 7Mate), we have two Freeinternational channels (SBS1, SBS2), and a Free children’s channel (ABC3), plus the chance of another two Free channels being launched in the next year.
So does this mean that everything broadcast in HD on 70 will now be broadcast on a digital channel? meaning no HD on channel 7? ( I think i just confused myself!)
Just what a guy needs, can’t wait for it. But there is 1 question will Prime be getting it as well?
So what about PRIME viewers, do we get the channel at the same time or will it be another delay?
Sux that shows like Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Grey’s and Packed to the Rafters won’t be screened in HD anymore. Surely 7mate could have gone on an SD channel. Too late I guess for them to change their minds. 🙁
PS, what will happen when they run out of Will Ferrel and Ben Stiller movies?
David, I know it’s early but any word on Foxtel? Will they just be turning the 7HD channel into this one?
I agree with everyone else, the name is horrible and despite the fantastic line-up I cant help but think that this will turn off a lot of people! I just now question what 7Two will turn into?