SoHo (Australian TV channel)

For the Canadian television network, see W Network.
SoHo
Launched 23 October 1995
Owned by Foxtel Networks
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audience share 0.8% (April 2007, [1])
Slogan The Drama Channel.
Country Australia
Language English
Formerly called FX (until 1 November 2003)[2]
W. (1 November 2003 – 20 August 2012)
Sister channel(s) 111 Greats
Arena
Bio.
The Comedy Channel
Fox8
Fox Classics
The LifeStyle Channel
LifeStyle Food
LifeStyle Home
LifeStyle You
TV Hits
Timeshift service SoHo+2
Website www.sohotv.com.au
Availability
Satellite
Foxtel Channel 114 (SD/HD)
Channel 157 (+2)
Channel 1114 (SD)
Cable
Foxtel Channel 114 (SD/HD)
Channel 157 (+2)
Channel 1114 (SD)

SoHo is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms. Originally a retro channel, it moved into Women's interest programming around the late 1990s.[3] Later on it dropped promoting itself as a women's channel, instead focusing on its drama programming.

After several on-air creative rebrands, and a repositioning to being a full drama channel, dropping much of its talk programming in recent years, W relaunched as SoHo, a brand that launched in New Zealand on August, 2012 as a monthly payment channel. SoHo now specializes in Drama, Thriller and Horror television programming.[4]

History

The channel's first W. logo, as seen from 2003 to 2009
The channel's first W. logo, as seen from 2009 to 2012

The channel began life as FX in 1995 and became available on Austar in April 1999.[5] It was relaunched as W. in 2003, shortly before digital broadcasting began.[2] W screened original Australian programming such as Beauty and the Beast, Love My Way, From Here to Maternity and Studio A with Simon Burke. It also had Pay-TV rights to many popular US primetime drama series such as Pushing Dasies and The Wire and repeats of many other series.

Antonia Kidman, sister of actress Nicole Kidman was the face of the W channel, for quite some time and has presented a few parenting and entertainment programs for this and other channels. W2, the timeshift channel broadcasting programs two hours later, was launched in September 2006. A website for the channel was also launched in September 2006.[6]

W. underwent a transformation in April 2009, which included an updated logo (now simply W) and several new additions to the primetime line-up. W HD was launched on 15 November 2009, on both Austar and Foxtel.

In 2012, it was announced that SoHo was to broadcast the new Australian drama Wentworth, a re-imaging of the classic television show Prisoner. The series started airing on 1 May 2013.

Programming

Current Programming

Original Programming

Acquired Programming

Past Programming

Acquired Programming shown on Soho

Original Programming shown on W

Acquired Programming shown on W

References

  1. ↑ Ratings Information
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Idato, Michael (27 October 2003). "Talk of the town". Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney: Fairfax Media). p. 3. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  3. ↑ Keogh, Kylie (25 November 2000). "Foxtel's feminine summer push". Daily Telegraph (Sydney). p. 14.
  4. ↑ David Knox. "SoHo to launch with The Newsroom on Foxtel". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Joyce, James (26 March 1999). "Tunedin". Newcastle Herald. p. 6. Retrieved 3 May 2010. |chapter= ignored (help)
  6. ↑ Official website