Seven Launches New Men’s Channel

SYDNEY: Seven Network’s new digital channel 7mate, geared toward men 16 to 49, is launching on September 25 across Australia.

The channel kicks off with HD coverage of the Australian Football Grand Final. 7mate has been designed to complement Seven and 7TWO programming. The prime-time lineup will include new episodes of Family Guy, American Dad, Parks and Recreation and Last Comic Standing, with 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, That 70’s Show, Scrubs and Crank Yankers also featured. Drama includes Caprica, Warehouse 13 and Stargate Atlantis. The reality slate highlights are Jersey Shore, Pawn Stars, Punk’d, Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Monster Garage. Among the factual offerings are Fifth Gear, The Universe, Life After People, The Boneyard, Ax Men, Mega Movers and Shockwave. First-run movies to air include The Ringer, Strangers and Primeval.

The CEO of Seven Media Group, David Leckie, commented: “Seven is Australia’s most-watched network and our suite of multi-channels delivers more viewers than anyone else. 7mate is the next step in building on our leadership in broadcast television. 7mate is going to be great.

“The launch of 7mate delivers us a tremendous platform of channels targeting specific audience demographics—leveraging our primary channel’s success with women and 7TWO’s targeting of a 25+ adult audience. We’re delighted to be the first commercial network to move to three channels. With 7HD we were first into multi-channelling for the commercial networks and this is another significant step for our television business.”

Seven’s director of programming and production, Tim Worner, said: “We’re using the biggest sports event to launch 7mate but this new channel will be so much more than sport. We are after the most elusive demographic in media and we think we’ve got the offering to get them.”

He said: “The channel is not designed to alienate female viewers. On the contrary we will be launching several initiatives that will see the female audience watching 7mate as well.”