MultiChoice has announced the launch of a new DStv channel called the Crime & Investigation Network, which will be broadcast for the first time on South African television on 28 February at 18h00 on Channel 69.
The History Channel UK - a joint venture of A&E Television Networks and BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting) - will launch Crime & Investigation Network in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, with MultiChoice Africa.
The Crime & Investigation Network will be carried on DStv to more than 1.4-million subscribers in 55 countries.
The channel will be transmitted in English and programming, marketing and operations will be managed by The History Channel UK.
The History channel UK and AETN launched the History channel in South Africa in December 2003, and now mark the second channel launch with the introduction of Crime & Investigation Network.
Shows you can expect to see include international series like The Criminal Mind, Crime Central, Cold Case Files, and Diagnosis Unknown.
Local content will be "an integral part of the offering", featuring series such as South African Strangler: Moses Sithole.
The official synopsis goes like this:
Crime & Investigation Network is about real crime and real people.
The ultimate destination for viewers looking to unearth the real story behind the headlines, it will open the door to crime labs, police archives and courtrooms, providing a behind-the-scenes look at criminal investigations, probing unexplained mysteries and examining the lives of infamous murderers and villains.
While police work to crack some of the world's most fascinating crimes, viewers witness first-hand as police utilise old-fashioned detective work and the latest forensic investigation tools to solve cases – both new and cold.
Possible future series include Cops, Crime & Punishment, Future Cops, Rescue 911, The FBI Files, Medical Detectives and Unsolved Mysteries.
The Australian Crime & Investigation Network even shows the drama series
Homicide: Life On The Street, although dramas are likely to be rare on the channel.
Let's hope it's not simply a mixture of a rehashed version of Zone Reality, with all their B-grade cop reality series, and the endless forensic documentaries on the Discovery channel.
The Crime & Investigation Network debuts on DStv on Channel 69 (one to the right of the History channel) on Wednesday 28 February, at 18h00.
The channel will open daily at 12h00 and close at 06h00 the next day, providing 18 hours of viewing daily.