Court TV expands into UK
September 16, 2020
The real-life dramas of criminal trials in the US now have an international audience as Court TV launches in the UK.
Court TV is now available on Sky channel 179, with more distribution agreements expected to be announced soon.
Building on its popularity with US audiences and advertisers, Court TV’s UK channel provides viewers access to, and expert analysis of true-life courtroom dramas taking place in the US today, from opening proceedings, gavel-to-gavel, all the way through to the verdict. Daytime trial coverage in the US will air in primetime in the UK given the time difference.
“There’s been nothing like Court TV in the United Kingdom until now,” said Jonathan Katz, president and CEO of Katz Networks, part of The EW Scripps Company, which owns Court TV. “American crime dramas have long been a staple on television worldwide, including the U.K., while global consumer interest in the real-life drama of true-crime programming has skyrocketed, with American reality crime content as the most-watched. Court TV is the only network covering these cases and these events live, as they happen, from start to finish. We anticipate viewers in the UK will embrace having a front-row seat to American criminal justice.”
The UK launch of Court TV coincides with the 25th anniversary of the O.J. Simpson murder trial verdict, which saw the former American football star and popular celebrity found not guilty of double murder. On October 3rd and 4th, Court TV will present a marathon of its 25-episode original docuseries OJ25, which looks back at the infamous case, encapsulating the courtroom action in chronological order.