Freesat announces six more channels, including Black Entertainment TV, launching tomorrow

Free-to-air digital satellite service Freesat has announced the addition of six more channels to its line-up.

Top of the pile is BET UK. No, not a gambling channel, but Black Entertainment Television, which is America’s leading provider of African-American cultural programmes, including music, lifestyle, and public affairs.

Also added is Zone Horror + 1 (which is probably just the Zone Horror channel timeshifted by one hour), a public service channel called Information TV, Kix! aimed at 8-15 year-old boys, and Celebrity Shop and Simply Shopping which, predictably, are shopping channels.

Emma Scott, Freesat’s MD, said, “Freesat is committed to providing viewers with the best of free-to-air programming and a diverse choice, with something for everyone. BET is a huge brand name in the US and its style and range of programming will be tremendously popular with viewers in the UK. In addition, a channel like Kix! brings an exciting style of kids TV programming onto the platform.”

The new channels will launch tomorrow, Friday 8th August. Full information after the jump.

Zone Horror + 1 – Channel 139: Dedicated to the dark side of cinema, Zone Horror sources popular horror films and series from around the world. Airing golden age classics, controversial cult films, kitsch masterpieces and highly original contemporary titles, Zone Horror appeals to all types of viewers, from the obsessive fan to the sporadic fright seeker.

BET – Channel 140: BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc is the leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, BET Digital Networks – BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, BET Home Entertainment, BET Mobile and BET International, an extension of BET network programming for global distribution. BET currently has 750,000 UK viewers since launching in March 2008. www.bet.com

Information TV – Channel 406: is a new type of broadcaster. As a public service narrowcaster, it offers informative and educational programmes from government departments, public bodies and other organisations. It also carries a range of microchannels – programmes from organisations starting out in broadcast TV, and focussing on niche audiences – large and small – in all sorts of areas, including entertainment, education, hobbies and fun.

Kix! – Channel 606: Aimed at 8-15 year olds, Kix is the first UK digital channel to be devoted entirely to boys who love action, music and extreme sports. The channel will appeal to all young boys with a desire to be cool.

Celebrity Shop – Channel 806: A 24 hour home shopping channel featuring high quality health, beauty and fitness products. The shows are hosted and the products endorsed by such global celebrities as: Jessica Simpson, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cindy Crawford, Serena Williams and Victoria Principal. CelebrityShop is part of Guthy-Renker LLP which is today one of the world’s largest direct response television companies.

Simply Shopping – Channel 812: No other information currently available.

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