The subscription television provider Foxtel has announced a series of new channels that will launch later this year, including a dedicated 3D offering.

The new suite of channels includes five high-definition channels, plus four so-called “+2” channels. TSR first reported the changes last month.

The company indicated that Foxtel 3D would initially air sporting content from Fox Sports and simulcast 3D offerings from the American cable broadcaster ESPN. ESPN launched its dedicated 3D channel, marketed as the world’s first, at the FIFA World Cup in June.

Although Foxtel suggested that most of the content would be plundered from elsewhere, the company’s chief executive Kim Williams nevertheless described the 3D channel as a “ground-breaking first”. He flagged that Foxtel would be negotiating with external providers to obtain 3D content “across sport, general entertainment, factual and movie programming”.

The American network Discovery announced earlier this year that it would work with Sony and IMAX to create a 3D channel with general entertainment, children’s and documentary content.

As previously disclosed in TSR, among the other channels to launch are Speed (a dedicated motorsports offering, also in high-definition), MTV Hits, MTVN Live (also in high definition), BBC Knowledge HD, and Nat Geo Wild HD.

Foxtel will also introduce National Geographic Channel +2, Nat Geo Adventure +2, 13th Street +2 and TLC +2.

“We now have over 200 channels on the Foxtel platform providing premium programming across all genres, both in standard and an ever-expanding high-definition range,” Williams said.

The new channels will launch on-air on 1 November.

Monday, 20 September 2010 | By Cyril Washbrook

link to original post: http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2010/09/20/foxtel-confirms-new-channels-including-3d/