MUMBAI: US media firm NBC Universal Cable Entertainment will launch a crime cable network Sleuth in January 2006.
The upcoming entertainment cable channel will be dedicated to the crime, mystery and suspense genre.
NBC says that Sleuth will be the first network to offer a digital triple pack service, which features a standard definition digital channel (SD), hi-definition simulcast channel (HD), and a video-on-demand (VOD) channel offered as a digital bundle. The SD digital channel will be available with the VOD and HD offerings available later next year.
At launch the network will have more than five million subscribers through distribution deals with Time Warner Cable, the first affiliate to carry Sleuth.
The new channel will feature crime and mystery classics from NBC Universal's extensive library of feature films, classic television shows, reality series and documentaries. Programming includes popular and cult television series like Miami Vice, The A-Team, and Knight Rider. Crime, mystery and suspense films like Scarface, The Jackal and Casino will be in the SD and HD lineups, with at least 20 hours of content from the channels offered on demand at any given time to consumers.
NBC Universal Cable Entertainment president Digital Content and Cross Network Strategy Jeff Gaspin says, "We are thrilled to offer one core channel with three digital products with Sleuth. Crime, mystery and suspense are the all time most popular television genres and Sleuth will be a network devoted exclusively to these genres. The programming on Sleuth, tapped from NBC Universal's vast library, will appeal to a broad audience who will be able to enjoy everything from classic films and nostalgic TV shows to current documentaries and series.
