5Action is a British free-to-air television channel owned by Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited,[1] a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Global, which is grouped under Paramount Networks UK & Australia division. 5Action features a range of programming from the Channel 5 stable as well as other content from the UK and US, focusing on action, crime and wrestling, aiming towards a male audience.[2]

5Action
Logo used since 2022
CountryUnited Kingdom
Broadcast areaUnited Kingdom
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format
Ownership
OwnerParamount Networks UK & Australia
ParentChannel 5 Broadcasting Limited
Sister channels
History
Launched
  • 4 July 2018; 6 years ago (2018-07-04) (as Paramount Network)
  • 19 January 2022; 2 years ago (2022-01-19) (as 5Action)
Replaced5Spike
Former namesParamount Network (2018–2022)
Links
Websitechannel5.com
Availability
Terrestrial
FreeviewChannel 33
FreesatChannel 132

History

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5Action's programming and Freeview channel slot dates back to the days of Viacom's male-skewing channel Spike, which was launched on 15 April 2015 as a localised version of the American network of the same name. When Spike was launched it took the channel space of Viva, but was operated under the auspices of Channel 5's programming director Ben Frow. It primarily aired entertainment programmes, including action and drama series, police documentaries, and programming from its U.S. counterpart, as well as mixed martial arts.

On 31 October 2017, the channel became 5Spike after Viacom decided the channel should be more closely associated with its sister channels and the Channel 5 brand. On 7 January 2020, the brand was discontinued in line with Viacom's global company policy, with the channel taking on the name of its sister channel, Paramount Network, and with major change to its channel placement or programming.

On 19 January 2022, the channel was once again re-aligned to a Channel 5-specific brand, as 5Action to avert confusion with Paramount+.[3][4] On 26 January 2022, 5Action shifted to Freeview 33 to accommodate the new iteration of BBC Three[5] on 1 February 2022.[6]

 
Paramount Network Logo used July 4th, 2018 – January 18th, 2022, which was coincidentally the 4th anniversary of the Paramount Network brand.
 
Paramount Network logo without the mountain, used from July 4th, 2018 to January 18th, 2022, which was coincidentally the 4th anniversary of the Paramount Network brand.

Programming

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Current programming

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Former programming

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Paramount Network

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Viacom (ViacomCBS/Channel 5) operated two distinct versions of the free-to-air Paramount Network on Freeview (with the original pay-tv Paramount Channel becoming Comedy Central in 2009). The first version of the Freeview channel was launched on 4 July 2018[15][16][17] as a sister channel to 5Spike,[18] and with a high-definition feed exclusively on Virgin Media from 21 July 2018.[19][20] It ceased to be available via satellite in Ireland on 13 July 2018 having supposedly been made available by mistake,[21] even though the channel had been promoted to Irish viewers before launch[22] (however, the channel could still be accessed via manual tuning on Sky in Ireland).

On 7 January 2020, Paramount Network was merged with 5Spike in its slots on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media, got its new branding, and subsumed its +1 timeshift channel on Sky.[23] The timeshift channel ceased broadcasting on 14 July 2020.

Paramount Network rebranded as 5Action on 19 January 2022 in preparation for Paramount+ launching in the UK.

Programming

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The original British version of Paramount Network was as a general entertainment channel showing American movies and series such as Suits and Lip Sync Battle.[24][25] In 2020, Channel 5 merged this channel with that of 5Spike, with Paramount Network becoming more of a male-skewing channel, following the lead of the original American Spike TV, which targeted a young adult male audience, becoming Paramount Network in the United States. This second version of Paramount Network had a schedule very much in keeping with that of 5Spike, with action movies at night, westerns at lunch and programmes such as Police Interceptors and Traffic Cops running episodes back-to-back early evening. When the channel got its second rebrand in early 2022, again no major changes were made to the schedule yet on Freeview channel 32[26] apart from the Jason Bourne spin-off Treadstone debuting on the channel.

Former programming (Paramount Network)

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Original version

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Second version (formally 5Spike)

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Programmes broadcast on the male-skewing version included:

References

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  1. ^ "Ofcom | TV Cable and Satellite". static.ofcom.org.uk.
  2. ^ "'Paramount Network' Channel is Changing to 5Action". 22 December 2021.
  3. ^ "5Action replaces Paramount Network UK". 22 December 2021.
  4. ^ "'Paramount Network' Channel is Changing to 5Action". 22 December 2021.
  5. ^ "'The whole launch show is live': We watched BBC Three's return to TV – so you didn't have to". TheGuardian.com. 2 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Freeview channel reshuffle: Retune time for all viewers". 19 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Airport 24/7: Thailand Season 1".
  8. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Car Crash TV Season 5".
  10. ^ "Seconds from Death: Caught on Camera Season 1".
  11. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Idiot TV Season 2".
  13. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Police Raids: Caught by Surprise Season 1".
  15. ^ White, Peter (8 June 2018). "Viacom To Launch Paramount Network In The UK In July With 'Suits' & 'The Mick'". www.deadline.com. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  16. ^ Barraclough, Leo (8 June 2018). "Viacom to Launch Paramount Network in U.K. in July". www.variety.com. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Paramount Network | Launches 4th July". www.youtube.com. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  18. ^ Elliott, Dave (8 June 2018). "Viacom Launches Free-To-Air Channel 'Paramount Network' In The UK". www.geektown.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  19. ^ "MEDIA BOY BLOG: UPDATED: Virgin Media UK tests 11 new channels". MEDIA BOY BLOG. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  20. ^ "Paramount Network UK on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  21. ^ "Sky – Sign in". skyid.sky.com.
  22. ^ Moore, Paul. "Ireland will be getting a brand new satellite TV channel | JOE.ie". www.joe.ie. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  23. ^ "5Spike UK axed in alignment with US brands". rxtvlog. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  24. ^ "5Action replaces Paramount Network UK". 22 December 2021.
  25. ^ "'Paramount Network' Channel is Changing to 5Action". 22 December 2021.
  26. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  27. ^ "Airwolf Season 3".
  28. ^ "Seconds from Death: Caught on Camera Season 1".
  29. ^ "Michael McIntyre's Big Show Season 4".
  30. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  31. ^ "TV listings guide". 17 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Police Raids: Caught by Surprise Season 1".
  33. ^ "Tsunami Season 1".
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