AMC Networks International UK (EMEA), formerly Zone Vision, Zone Media, Chello Zone and AMC Networks International Zone (EMEA), is a British

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

media company founded in 1991 by Chris Wronski and owned by

AMC Networks International AMC Networks International is the division of AMC Networks that operates outside the United States. AMC Networks commissions and distributes TV channels, content and video services. The division's operating companies and business units current ...

as its

EMEA Europe, the Middle East and Africa, commonly known by its acronym EMEA among the North American business spheres, is a geographical region used by institutions, governments and global spheres of marketing, media and business when referring to t ...

hub that houses its asset interests in that region.

History

The company was founded to distribute television programmes in Eastern Europe, but now operates in 138 countries. They operate channels under 7 brands, albeit with some limited to specific countries, and provide 22 sound tracks across these. Its English speaking-targeted channels show mainly US and Canadian imports as well as older

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

and ITV produced content; whereas its Central European stations show large quantities of recent British television. Original sound tracks are provided on most shows which are dubbed. On 14 September 2009, it was revealed that the international arm of CBS,

CBS Studios International Paramount Global Content Distribution is the international television distribution arm of American media conglomerate, Paramount Global, originally established in 1962 as the international distribution division of Desilu Productions. With the s ...

, struck a joint venture deal with Chellomedia to launch six CBS-branded channels in the UK during 2009. The new channels would replace Zone Romantica, Zone Thriller, Zone Horror and Zone Reality, plus timeshift services Zone Horror +1 and Zone Reality +1. On 1 October 2009, it was announced that

CBS Reality CBS Reality is a European pay television channel specializing in reality-based programming, including true crime documentaries and factual entertainment. It is operated by AMC Networks International in partnership with Paramount Networks EME ...

, CBS Reality +1,

CBS Drama True Crime Xtra (Styled as TRUE CRIME XTRA, formerly known as CBS Drama and RealityXtra) is a British free-to-air television channel that centres its programming on American television shows produced by CBS. It is the sister channel of True Crim ...

and CBS Action would launch on 16 November 2009 replacing Zone Reality, Zone Reality +1, Zone Romantica and Zone Thriller. On 5 April 2010, Zone Horror was rebranded as

Horror Channel Legend, formerly Zone Horror and Horror Channel, is a British free-to-air television channel specialising in sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, action and cult series. It is broadcast in the UK and Ireland. The channel is known for its horror movies du ...

, following the rebrand of the portfolio's other three channels in November 2009. On-air the channel name appears as Horror. The rebrand was produced by Chello Zone's in-house creative services team. On 1 August 2012 Chellomedia revealed that the European versions of the

Chello Zone AMC Networks International UK (EMEA), formerly Zone Vision, Zone Media, Chello Zone and AMC Networks International Zone (EMEA), is a British television media company founded in 1991 by Chris Wronski and owned by AMC Networks International as i ...

channels would be rebranded into

and CBS Action as well. On 28 October 2013,

AMC Networks AMC Networks Inc. is an American mass media and entertainment corporation headquartered in 11 Penn Plaza, New York City. The company owns and operates the AMC cable channel, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, and We TV. It also owns the art ho ...

announced it would acquire Chellomedia (apart from its

Benelux The Benelux Union (; ; ; ) or Benelux is a politico-economic union, alliance and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is a portma ...

division) from

Liberty Global Liberty Global Ltd. is a British-Dutch-American multinational telecommunications company domiciled in Bermuda, with headquarters in London, Amsterdam and Denver. Its respective legal names are Liberty Global Holdings Limited (UK), Liberty Glo ...

, for around $1.04 billion. This acquisition was completed 11 February 2014. In April 2014 it was announced that

has acquired Kinowelt TV. A renaming of the channel is currently not planned. On 8 July 2014, AMC Networks renamed Chellomedia as AMC Networks International and Chello Zone as AMC Networks International Zone (later dropping the 'Zone' for 'UK'). In June 2022, it was announced that AMC would drop the CBS branding from the channels owned in a joint-venture with Paramount Global in a reshuffle of their portfolio. CBS Justice closed down, with its slot being taken over by a new channel called Legend on 30 June 2022. Legend features the majority of the sci-fi, fantasy and horror programming found on Horror, with a dedicated horror sister channel only operating in the evening under the name Horror Xtra. In addition, their Reality channel would get a sister channel as CBS Drama was closed and replaced by Reality Xtra. In August 2023, it was announced that the AMC UK channel, including all Catch Up Content, would be removed from BT TV on 28 September.

Channels

Current

* AMC (African and Middle Eastern TV channel) *

AMC (European TV channel) AMC is a European TV channel launched by AMC Networks International. AMC replaced the MGM Channel in Portugal and Spain on 4 November 2014, and in Poland on 6 May 2016. AMC-produced dramas '' Halt & Catch Fire'' and '' The Divide'' are among ...

True Crime True crime is a genre of non-fiction work in which an author examines a crime, including detailing the actions of people associated with and affected by the crime, and investigating the perpetrator's Motive (law), motives. True crime works often ...

(joint venture with

Paramount Networks UK & Australia Paramount Networks UK & Australia, formerly ViacomCBS Networks UK & Australia, is a division of Paramount Global launched on 14 January 2020. It is based in London, England, with a local office in Sydney, Australia. Units See also * Plut ...

) ** True Crime +1 (joint venture with

) * True Crime Xtra (joint venture with

) *

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the ...

(joint venture with

) ** Legend +1 (joint venture with

) * LegendXtra (joint venture with

) ** LegendXtra +1 (joint venture with

) *

Sundance TV Sundance TV (formerly known as Sundance Channel) is an American pay television channel owned by AMC Networks that launched on February 1, 1996. The channel is named after Robert Redford's character in ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' and, w ...

(Europe)

Former

* MGM Channel *

Outdoor Channel Outdoor Channel is an American pay television, pay television channel focused on the outdoors, offering programming that includes hunting, fishing, western lifestyle, off-road motorsports and adventure. It was launched on April Fool's Day (April ...

(joint venture with Outdoor Channel Holdings Inc.) *

Zone Club Zone Club was a European lifestyle (sociology), lifestyle and entertainment channel. It launched in 1998 as Club. It then launched on 1 April 2001 in Poland, and on 13 September 2004 in Hungary. History The Hungarian version was originally 24/7 o ...

(Africa) *

(Middle East) * Zone Europa * Zone Fantasy * Zone Horror * Zone Reality * Zone Reality Extra * Zone Reality +1 * Zone Romantica * Zone Thriller *EVA *EVA+ * Extreme Sports Channel *

CBS Justice CBS Justice, formerly CBS Action, is a television channel specializing in factual programming ranging from action films to drama and murder-mysteries. Currently available only in Africa since 21 November 2019 via DStv and Ireland, it was previo ...

(joint venture with

) *

(joint venture with

)

Logos

File:Zone Vision.png, Zone Vision first logo used from 1991 to 2005 File:Chellozone.jpg, Chello Zone's final logo used from 2006 until 8 July 2014. File:AMC_Networks_International.png, Logo of AMC Networks International used from 2014.

References

External links

AMC Networks International UKAMC Networks International
{{AMC Networks UK Mass media companies established in 1991 Television broadcasting companies of the United Kingdom 1991 establishments in England pl:Chello Zone