Launched 17 November 2015 Picture format 576i (SDTV) 16:9 Country Australia | Network SBS Television Slogan Dig In | |
Owned by Special Broadcasting Service | ||
Food Network is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel owned by the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). The channel airs programs about food and cooking, from cultures around the world.
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The channel is operated under license from Scripps Networks Interactive, the operator of the American channel of the same name. The relationship includes a programming deal with Scripps which sees numerous American Food Network programs on the channel.
History
SBS first revealed it would launch a food dedicated channel on 30 September 2015, following the Australian Government's decision to not permit the public broadcaster to increase the amount of primetime advertising it is allowed to broadcast. It is Australia's first and only free-to-air channel to be dedicated exclusively to food related programming. All programs aired on the channel are available to stream on SBS on Demand.
The channel began broadcasting on 17 November 2015 at 1 pm AEDST and is broadcast 24 hours a day on channel 33, replacing a simulcast of SBS. The first programme shown on the channel was 30 Minute Meals.
Food Network began being included in the official OzTAM ratings on 1 December 2015, where it recorded a 1.3% primetime share.
Programming
The majority of programming comes from Scripps' food related shows produced overseas, as well as local Australian productions, some of which will have already aired either on an SBS channel, through the Foxtel platform or on the Fetch TV version of the American Food Network.