Fox8 (corporately stylised as FOX8, alternatively as Fox 8 or FOX 8) is an Australian pay television channel available on Foxtel,[1] and Optus Television's subscription platforms. It is the most watched subscription television channel in Australia (with or without the timeshift).[2] A high definition version of the channel, Fox8HD, was launched on the Foxtel and Austar platforms on 15 November 2008.
History
The channel runs many programs produced by Fox and in fact was originally called "Fox" before adding the "8" to the title. The channel was found on channel 8 on Foxtel analogue and Austar standard and channel 108 on Foxtel Digital and Austar Digital. Fox8 is Foxtel's most popular subscription channel and peak channel. It is also News Corporation's peak Australian channel (similar to Sky1 in the UK and FX in the USA). FOX8 is one of the very few channels to have been continuously broadcast since Foxtel's foundation in 1995. During the late 1990s, Fox8 used to show Saturday Night NRL matches.
FOX8+2 was introduced with the Foxtel and Austar Digital Services on Channel 150. This allows the viewing of the same programs on Fox8, but two hours later. One of the known advantages of this TimeShift Channel, is that Western Australian viewers can see this channel at the correct time in their state as advertised. FOX8 and Foxtel have a deal with Network Ten to receive their shows bought from the USA Fox network.[citation needed] Some shows like this include The Simpsons, Futurama, and The Simple Life. During the migration to the digital platform, Foxtel's Fox Kids (similar to the US version) channel was discontinued in 2004 and a selection of its programming was moved to FOX8 in the early mornings.
The channel was rebranded significantly at the start of 2005, matching the American Fox channel's logo with the addition of the 8 at the end. FOX8's overall graphics also changed in style. Shortly after the rebranding, the station received its first official website.[3] The website was relaunched in October 2005 as a fuller visual experience showing extracts from the top shows.
During the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the channel screened a 17-day, multiple animated show marathon named "Battle of the Animations" involving Family Guy, American Dad!, The Simpsons, Futurama and King of the Hill. The event concluded on Sunday 24 August with a smaller marathon involving the winning show, as chosen by the viewing audience over the course of the 17 days. The winning show was Family Guy.
On 1 November 2008, as part of the launch of a new channel named 111 HITS (now Fox Comedy), many shows from Fox8 and other channels moved to 111 Hits.
In October 2013, FOX8 launched a new on-air look that included the new slogan TV for the Now Gen (replacing So Fox8).[5]
On 12 December 2022, it was confirmed that Fox8 would be taking The Simpsons and all other Fox adult animation shows off the network in a move to revamp the channel as well as encourage viewers to sign up to Disney+, which has all Fox adult animation shows and which is also available as an app on Foxtel. A final Simpsons marathon aired on the network that month which concluded on 31 December.[7]
On 28 September 2023, inline with the rebrand of Foxtel's FOX-branded channels (ex. FOX Arena to Arena),[8] FOX8 updated their logo.[9]
