Oxygen commits to crime

NBCUniversal-owned US cablenet Oxygen Media has confirmed it will complete its rebrand as a female-skewing crime investigation network this summer.

Oxygen is expanding its existing weekend Crime Time block and has ordered a revival of Dick Wolf’s Cold Justice, which was cancelled by TNT after three seasons. The new show will be produced by Wolf Reality and Magical Elves.

The network has also ordered The Jury Speaks, from Glass Entertainment Group, which examines high-profile cases through the eyes of a jury.

Both shows join Three Days to Live, from Joke Productions and Lusid Media, which was picked up last June and premieres on March 5.

Non-crime-related current Oxygen series Bad Girls Club and Sisterhood of Hip-Hop, plus the forthcoming Battle of the Ex Besties, will no longer on the channel.

Oxygen is also looking to buy off-network crime shows to add to its original series.

“The recent expansion of our Crime Time weekend block has enjoyed double-digit gains and has really resonated with our female audience,” said Frances Berwick, president of Lifestyle Networks at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “What’s interesting is that many younger viewers are now finding that programming.”

This week, A+E Networks also announced it was refreshing its Crime + Investigation brand globally in a bid to “redefine” the true-crime genre.

Oxygen Media launched in 1999 as an independent, female-oriented cable network. The channel was sold to NBCUniversal in 2007 for US$925m and previously focused on content for millennial, multicultural women.

The rebrand is not expected to result in job losses or a change in name for the channel.