Viacom Launches Free-To-Air Channel ‘Paramount Network’ In The UK
Viacom Launches Paramount Network In The UK
From the 4th July 2018, the UK will be getting a new free-to-air channel, Paramount Network, Viacom has announced today.
The channel will be home to a number of free-to-air premieres, including the free-to-air premiere of ‘Suits’ Season 7 (the upcoming Season 8 will still premiere on Netflix), ‘Lip Sync Battle US’, the recently cancelled ‘Designated Survivor’, and US comedy series ‘The Mick’ starring Kaitlin Olsen (‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’). The channel will also feature a number of box office hit movies and cult classics from Paramount’s back catalogue including ‘War Of The Worlds’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’, ‘Dances With Wolves’, ‘The Shining’, ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’ and ‘Jackie Brown’.
“Paramount Network is set to deliver high-end Hollywood entertainment with blockbuster movies, scripted drama and critically acclaimed comedy featuring some of the biggest names on the planet,” commented Ben Frow, Channel 5 Director of Programmes who will be overseeing the new channel. “Supported by Channel 5’s creative scheduling and audience insight and underpinned by Viacom’s brand-building expertise, Paramount Network is a popular premium content destination in a free-to-air world.”
The UK becomes the third Paramount Network after the US and Spain, and there are separately 11 locally scheduled versions of Paramount Channel internationally. Paramount is one of Viacom’s flagship global brands including Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon and its fastest growing international entertainment brand.
“Launching on TV screens in the UK is another critical milestone for the Paramount Network brand, which we’re convinced will resonate strongly with British viewers given Paramount’s distinguished and successful history of epic, cinematic story-telling for global audiences,” adds Jill Offman, EVP Comedy Central and Paramount Network International. “Delivering free-to-air content to millions of UK households, underlines our belief that, despite the growing popularity of on-demand, viewers continue to value highly TV channels that offer an intelligently scheduled linear line up of quality entertainment.”
Other free-to-air shows coming to the network include military action drama ‘SIX’, sci-fi fantasy drama ‘Heroes Reborn’, and the Emmy Award-winning comedy ‘Will & Grace’.
Paramount Network will launch in the UK on Wednesday, 4th July 2018 on Freeview (57), Sky (159), BT (57) and TalkTalk (57) platforms.
Dave has over 20 years experience in the digital industry, and is founder and editor of Geektown. Obviously a huge geek himself, he can often be found in front of the latest tv show or movie, on various video games, or with his head in a comic book.
Will we have to retune to get this or will it be an automatic update?
Sorry… also.. not in HD and not (yet, at least) on Virgin Media.
I thought Channel 5 had the FTA right for “Designated Survivor”?
Well, technically, Viacom, who own Channel 5 and Paramount had the FTA rights to ‘Designated Survivor’. Initially it looked like it was going on Channel 5, but it makes more sense to put it on Paramount with other drama rather than stuffing it between reality trash.
D’oh! Of course. Makes a lot more sense. Especially given how badly C5 have treated some of their other US imports recently; NCIS / NCIS:NO, Gotham, etc. (Though I never watched the latter of those!)
No mention of their Yellowstone series..?
No. It’s one of those situations where, just because it airs on US Paramount, it doesn’t mean it automatically will come to UK Paramount unfortunately.
Will Yellowstone premiere on the channel like it’s doing in the states are have they sold the international rights to someone else? Also will there be an HD version of the channel?
Which series of Suits was the last to be shown on Dave? Can’t remember if it was 5 or 6. I hope this is not another case of skipping a whole series like what happened with Gotham.
It was 6, so you’re all good. 🙂