Advanced Television

More History for the UK

April 8, 2013

Colin Mann @ MIPTV

History fans in the UK will soon be able to delve even further into ancient cultures, famous figures and monumental historical events with the launch of new channel H2 on Saturday, May 4th, 2013.

Part of the A+E Networks brand portfolio, H2 is a complementary brand to History, providing audiences with more to explore, more to reveal, and more to know about history. The network puts history in the context of today’s world, presenting information in innovative ways, while offering viewers a deeper perspective of – and deeper connections to – the world around them.

H2 launched in the US in September 2011 and, according to Nielsen rankings, is the Number 1 emerging entertainment network in US cable among Adults 25-54, delivering double digit YOY growth in 2012. The channel is available in almost 70 million households.

Tom Davidson, Managing Director at A+E Networks UK, said that H2 had been a huge success in the US where it achieved “fantastic” ratings. “H2 allows us to expand on the quality content available on our flagship History channel by representing the very heart of the History brand as well as offering viewers more information, more facts and even more entertainment,” he added.

H2 digs behind the story, covering military history, ancient history, modern history, science and technology, and will offer audiences a compelling mix of exclusive programming and original commissions. Programming will focus on contemporary, entertaining and accessible content featuring fascinating facts and captivating action.

Premiering on the channel will be new series Serial Killer Earth and Ultimate Soldier Challenge. Serial Killer Earth is a 10 x 1 hour series that brings together a top team of experts to examine compelling footage of disasters from news and home video to explain what actually happened and how they compare with historic natural disasters of the past. Ultimate Soldier Challenge is H2’s first ever military competition with each episode featuring three elite squads of military operators in head-to-head competitions and the series runs for 6 x 1 hour.

More new programmes to the channel include Time Team America, where three American archaeologists race against time on a US dig and Beast Legends, a series of programmes about legendary and mythological beasts.

H2 will also feature a dedicated Military Zone on Wednesday evenings and every night from 11pm.

“H2 is a natural extension of History with its own unique voice, and we are very excited about the launch in the UK,” said Dean Possenniskie, Managing Director, EMEA for A+E Networks. “Since its début, the network has demonstrated amazing success in the US and we are confident we will see the same results in the UK.”

H2 will be available in the UK on 531 Sky and 236 Virgin Media.

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