Oxygen to Revamp as Crime-Focused Channel

NEW YORK: Oxygen Media is refocusing its positioning to become a female-skewed destination for crime programming.

Oxygen recently expanded its Crime Time weekend block to four days a week and will continue to ramp up its programming efforts starting with the new series Three Days to Live, premiering March 5. The series delves into the crucial days immediately following an abduction with recreations and first-hand interviews from authorities and loved ones.

Additionally, Cold Justice has been given a series green light for a launch in Q3. Produced by Wolf Reality and Magical Elves with Dick Wolf, the revived series feature real-life crimes. It follows former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and her team of detectives as they dig into small-town murder cases that have lingered for years without answers or closure.

Also coming to Oxygen in Q3 is The Jury Speaks, a self-contained, true-crime series that re-examines some of the most high-profile and controversial cases through the eyes of the original jury.

Oxygen has also announced the weekly podcast Martinis & Murder, hosted by John Thrasher and Daryn Carp. Each episode features an in-depth look at a particular murder or murderer.

“The recent expansion of our Crime Time weekend block has enjoyed double-digit gains and has really resonated with our female audience,” said Frances Berwick, the president of lifestyle networks at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “Oxygen has always played in this space with the highly successful original series Snapped, one of the longest running crime series on television now approaching its 20th season. With a lot of high-quality projects in development, we believe our current fans, as well as all armchair detectives, have good reason to be excited.”