MUMBAI: Fox International Channels (Fic), which distributes TV channels and digital services worldwide and is the sister company of 20th Century Fox Studios, has launched Fox as a free-to-air channel in Finland.

The move brings the Fox brand to Finnish television viewers for the first time along with some of the best entertainment, non-fiction and lifestyle content.

Fic says that the rebranding of the recently acquired Suomi TV shows its commitment to the Finnish and Nordic markets, and to establishing Fox as one of the leading entertainment brands in the region. Fox Finland will introduce a raft of new programming as it expands to 12 broadcast hours per day from the existing seven. Entertainment series will include the popular US Fox Network animated series Family Guy and ‘American Dad‘, as well as ‘The Walking Dead‘.

The channel will also feature films from Twentieth Century Fox, National Geographic Channel‘s factual series, and 24Kitchen‘s food and lifestyle programming. Fox Finland follows on the heels of the successful launch of Fox Crime in Norway last year and the ongoing consolidation of the Nordic distribution of Fic‘s factual channels the National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Wild HD.

FIC distributes a diverse bouquet of 28 entertainment and factual channels worldwide anchored by the Fox and National Geographic brands.

Fox International Channels Europe president Jes?s Perezagua said, "We are very pleased to bring FOX to the Finnish market. Fox has been tremendously successful globally as our flagship general entertainment channel and we‘re confident that it will similarly establish FIC in Finland. This is a key step for us in Finland and in the Nordic market. With the combination of global experience and local talent on the ground, we are excited by the possibilities for Fox Finland".

Fox International Channels MD for Nordic, Baltic regions Ase Ytreland said, "Fox is synonymous with great entertainment worldwide and we‘re thrilled to bring the brand and all it represents to Finnish viewers. It‘s an incredible legacy of quality and we‘re looking forward to continuing that in Finland. When we assumed control of the channel two months ago, we made a commitment to increase broadcasting hours and bring some of the best content available to Finnish viewers. The launch of Fox and the content we‘re featuring make good on that commitment."

Fox Finland‘s director of broadcast Mikko Silvennoinen said, "I‘m thrilled with the opportunity to programme Fox in Finland. The quality and variety of content, from fiction to factual to lifestyle, will provide Finnish viewers with fresh choices that they are certain to enjoy".

In addition to the content acquired from Twentieth Century Fox, Fox will offer National Geographic series including ‘Air Crash Investigation‘ and ‘Banged Up Abroad‘ series which have already driven dramatic increases in channel viewership. These series will be complemented by programming from FIC‘s lifestyle channel 24Kitchen - food and cooking programmes highlighting good, fresh food.

Fox will continue to broadcast news and horse racing and plans to produce local content in the near future.