NBC Universal Global Networks will tonight (January 26) launch a UK version of Sci Fi Channel in HD. Sci Fi HD has been testing for the past month and will take channel 214 on the Sky EPG, giving it some prominence within the HD section of the guide.
“Our Sci Fi audience is early adopting, highly discerning and strongly loyal consumers of science fiction and it is a natural evolution of the Sci Fi brand to offer them such high quality targeted programming,” said Laurance Dawkin-Jones, UK MD for NBC Universal Global Networks. “Out of our four channel brands in the UK, including Hallmark, Diva TV and Movies24, Sci Fi is the natural choice to be our first brand in the UK to launch in HD.”
Dawkin-Jones said further HD rollouts were part of NBC Universal’s strategy to take its channel portfolio to more than 90 from the present 70. The network already operates HD versions of Sci Fi and action-adventure channel 13th Street in the French market.