When new paycaster On Digital Media (ODM) launches its TopTV satellite package on 1 May you will be able to select the channels you want and pay for them accordingly.
Five of those channels come from the Fox International Channels (FIC) stable: Fox Entertainment, FX, Fox Retro, Baby TV and Fuel.
Baby TV is for growing infants and toddlers, and their parents. Fuel TV is a 24/7 action sports lifestyle network which covers the culture of skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, motocross and wakeboarding.
The most popular of the Fox channels, however, are bound to be Fox Entertainment, Fox Retro and FX.
We break them down for you, with the first week's primetime viewing schedule of each to get a feel of what you will be watching on these three channels.
FOX ENTERTAINMENT
Fox Entertainment is the general entertainment channel dedicated to the best television series. Built on top of US product as well as choice series from the UK, Australia and Canada, its brand lens is “smart entertainment with an edge”.
Targeting a keen and demanding audience (adults 18-35), the channel was originally launched in Latin America in 1993. The genre offering is all-encompassing and varied by style.
Genres include comedy, drama, science fiction, action, animation and reality.
It's very much the equivalent of DStv's M-Net Series channel, except most shows have new episodes daily, with a revolving primetime show which changes day to day.
This channel will pick up many series midway through a season. Season 3 of the Kiefer Sutherland action series 24, for example, begins with Episode 15 when it premieres on Monday, 3 May. A number of other shows begin the same way.
Shows
(Season in brackets)
24 (3)
Alias (2)
Ally McBeal (3)
Angel (3)
Arrested Development (1)
Boston Legal (2)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (3)
Cops (16)
Criminal Minds (3)
Dark Angel (1)
Family Guy (4)
Moonlighting (3)
Saving Grace (2)
Scrubs (2)
The Simpsons (9)
Testees (1)
Underbelly (2)
The X-Files (1)
Week 1 Primetime Schedule
Monday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Scrubs
20h35: Family Guy
21h00: Criminal Minds
21h45: Saving Grace
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Tuesday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Scrubs
20h35: Family Guy
21h00: Movie
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Wednesday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Scrubs
20h35: Family Guy
21h00: Ally McBeal
21h45: Underbelly 2
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Thursday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Scrubs
20h35: Family Guy
21h00: Arrested Development (double bill)
21h45: Testees (double bill)
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Friday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Scrubs
20h35: Family Guy
21h00: 24
21h45: Dark Angel
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Saturday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Criminal Minds (repeat)
21h00: Boston Legal 2
21h45: Arrested Development (double bill) (repeat)
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
Sunday
15h45: Moonlighting
16h30: Cops (double bill)
17h15: The X-Files
18h00: Alias
18h45: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
19h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
20h15: Ally McBeal (repeat)
21h00: Saving Grace 2
21h45: Underbelly (repeat)
22h30: The Simpsons (double bill)
23h15: Angel
FOX RETRO
Fox Retro is "an entertainment channel entirely dedicated to the beloved series that defined the 70s, 80s and 90s and which helped shape the pop culture and trends of today", according to the channel.
It is currently only available in Italy, making South Africa the second country worldwide to get it. Unlike Fox Entertainment, all series on it begin from scratch, i.e. from Season 1, Episode 1.
The channel targets men and women aged 30-50+.
Shows
Battlestar Galactica
The Dukes Of Hazzard
Fame
Hart to Hart
Knots Landing
Kojak
M*A*S*H
Magnum, P.I.
Miami Vice
The Persuaders
The Professionals
The Return Of The Saint
The Six Million Dollar Man
Space 1999
Starsky & Hutch
Week 1 Primetime Schedule
Monday
16h45: The Six Million Dollar Man
17h30: The Return of the Saint
18h15: M*A*S*H (double bill)
19h00: Hart to Hart
19h45: Magnum, P.I. (double bill)
21h15: Battlestar Galactica
22h00: Fame
22h45: Kojak (original)
23h30: Space 1999
Tuesday
16h45: The Six Million Dollar Man
17h30: The Return of the Saint
18h15: M*A*S*H (double bill)
19h00: Hart to Hart
19h45: The Dukes of Hazzard (double bill)
21h15: Battlestar Galactica
22h00: Fame
22h45: Kojak (original)
23h30: Space 1999
Wednesday
16h45: The Six Million Dollar Man
17h30: The Return of the Saint
18h15: M*A*S*H (double bill)
19h00: Hart to Hart
19h45: Starsky & Hutch
20h55: M*A*S*H
21h20: Battlestar Galactica
22h00: Fame
22h45: Kojak (original)
23h30: Space 1999
Thursday
16h50: The Six Million Dollar Man
17h35: The Return of the Saint
18h20: M*A*S*H (double bill)
19h05: Hart to Hart
19h50: Miami Vice (double bill)
21h20: Battlestar Galactica
22h05: Fame
22h50: Kojak (original)
23h35: Space 1999
Friday
16h50: The Six Million Dollar Man
17h35: The Return of the Saint
18h20: M*A*S*H (double bill)
19h05: Hart to Hart
19h50: The Professionals (double bill)
21h20: Battlestar Galactica
22h05: Fame
22h50: Kojak (original)
23h35: Space 1999
Saturday
16h45: Battlestar Galactica Repeat Omnibus (5 episodes)
20h30: Magnum, P.I. (repeat)
21h15: Starsky & Hutch (repeat)
22h00: Fame Repeat Omnibus 1 (3 episodes)
Sunday
16h00: The Six Million Dollar Man Repeat Omnibus (5 episodes)
19h45: The Dukes of Hazzard (repeat)
20h30: The Professionals (repeat)
21h15: Miami Vice (repeat)
22h00: Fame Repeat Omnibus 2 (2 episodes)
FX
FX is a mix of quality, character-driven and often unconventional drama and comedy. It was launched in 2004 in the UK.
The channel targets primarily men from 18-49.
Shows
Beach Patrol
Bones
Dream Team 8
Entourage
Fear Factor (1 and 6)
Glenn Martin, DDS
K-Ville
Kojak (2005)
Las Vegas
Most Haunted
Most Shocking
The Office (US)
Peep Show
Seinfeld
Stargate SG-1
Strikeforce
Underbelly
Week 1 Primetime Schedule
Monday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: Underbelly
21h15: Entourage
21h45: Glenn Martin, DDS
22h10: Bones (repeat)
Tuesday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: Kojak (2005)
21h15: Entourage
21h45: Glenn Martin, DDS
22h10: Underbelly (repeat)
Wednesday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: K-Ville
21h15: Entourage
21h45: Glenn Martin, DDS
22h10: Kojak (2005) (repeat)
Thursday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: The Office (US)
21h15: Peep Show
21h45: Glenn Martin, DDS
22h10: K-Ville (repeat)
Friday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: Strikeforce
22h30: Seinfeld (double bill) (repeat)
Saturday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: Fear Factor 6
21h15: Entourage (double bill) (repeat)
22h15: The Office (repeat)
22h35: Peep Show (repeat)
23h00: Seinfeld (double bill) (repeat)
Sunday
17h30: Seinfeld (double bill)
18h15: Stargate SG-1
19h00: Dream Team 8
19h45: Las Vegas
20h30: Bones
21h15: Entourage (double bill)
22h15: Fear Factor 6 (repeat)
23h00: Seinfeld (double bill) (repeat)