New U.S. Cable Network to Focus on Fitness

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LOS ANGELES: MUSL TV (Muscle, Ultra-Sports and Lifestyle) is a new 24-hour HD linear network launching in the U.S. that will be focused on "physical culture," offering up original and acquired shows on athletic challenges, fitness modeling, power cooking and more.

The executive team behind MUSL TV includes Jacob Arback, co-founder and former president of The Africa Channel, as president and CEO; Mohamed Mohsen, a bodybuilding champion and producer, as chairman; Robb Weller as executive VP of programming and production; and Gary Grossman as executive VP of programming development. Weller and Grossman are longtime partners in Weller/Grossman Productions.

Billed as a fitness entertainment network, MUSL TV will target all demos with programming such as high performance athletic challenges, prime-time reality entertainment competitions, adventure sports, athletic and strength competitions, fitness modeling, sport-specific training, daily talk and power cooking shows. Content will be focused under the themes of transformation, entertainment, events and lifestyle. No distribution deals have been announced yet for the service.

“MUSL TV is for all levels of athletes and recreational enthusiasts who aspire to reach their full potential; elite athletes striving for peak performance, weekend warriors learning new techniques to better their game or novices running their first 5K,” Arback said. “We are all about transformation, big personalities, compelling story lines and competitive events. For our distribution partners, we are excited about aggregating and delivering a new universe of viewers across highly sought-after demographics, both male and female, who are passionate about their active and athletic lifestyles.”

Weller added, "The categories and genres that are at the core of MUSL TV make for dramatic and compelling television programming opportunities. There are thousands of events across the U.S. each year that receive little coverage, from amateur athletic events to strength competitions to fitness modeling to action sports. The unfiltered reality of these competitions and the stories of their participants make for great television. Viewers enjoy watching programming that they can easily identify with and today, with so many men and women of all ages looking to better their bodies, get in shape, have more endurance and lead a healthier lifestyle, there is a pent-up demand for the types of shows we will be producing and airing.”

International distribution and partnerships are on the planner for MUSL TV. "In our discussions with distributors in other global regions, it is clear that there is enormous potential for our programming formats and event coverage," said Mohsen. "Additionally, we have the ability to localize content on a regional and national basis.”