Real Crime
Product brand
UnclaimedAn Australian pay television channel devoted to crime, criminal investigations, forensic cases and mystery programming.
Last updated August 21, 2026
Overview
Real Crime is an Australian pay television channel focused on crime, criminal investigations, forensic evidence, policing, criminal psychology and mystery programming. The service was launched on 1 January 2005 under the name Crime & Investigation Network, replacing the Australian feed of TechTV. Its launch made it the first international version of the Crime & Investigation concept; the United States flagship channel followed approximately three months later. The Australian service was initially operated under a programming and branding arrangement in which A&E Television Networks licensed the Crime + Investigation name and programming to Foxtel. That licensing arrangement continued until 31 July 2024. The channel’s core proposition has been factual, documentary and reality-based crime entertainment rather than scripted drama. Its schedule has drawn heavily on programming acquired from overseas, including series about cold cases, homicide investigations, forensic science, police work, criminal networks, missing persons, prison systems and notorious offenders. It has also carried a smaller amount of locally produced or locally oriented programming. One of its best-known Australian productions was Crime Investigation Australia, presented by Steve Liebmann and broadcast from 2005 to 2009. The series examined major Australian crimes and combined interviews, reconstructions and investigative narration. The service expanded beyond Australia when it became available in New Zealand on Sky on 2 September 2007. In Australia, its branding evolved several times as the channel was repositioned within Foxtel’s factual and documentary portfolio. On 5 March 2014, Crime & Investigation Network was refreshed and renamed Crime + Investigation. A further refresh on 25 January 2017 simplified the on-air identity to CI and introduced high-definition availability. These changes preserved the channel’s emphasis on real-world crime while updating its visual identity and distribution proposition. On 1 August 2024, following the end of the licensing arrangement with A&E Television Networks, the channel was rebranded Real Crime. The new identity placed it alongside Foxtel’s Real Life and Real History brands and retained the channel’s established subject matter while presenting it as part of a broader locally managed factual-entertainment family. Real Crime continues to offer programming about criminal cases, investigation techniques, law enforcement and related real-world events. Its catalog has included titles such as Cold Case Files, COPS, Forensic Files, Homicide Hunter, Road Wars, Snapped, The New Detectives, S.W.A.T. and Australian productions including Crimes That Shook Australia and Tough Nuts: Australia’s Hardest Criminals.
History
Real Crime began broadcasting in Australia on 1 January 2005 as Crime & Investigation Network. Its launch replaced the Australian feed of TechTV and established an Australian edition of the Crime & Investigation television concept. The Australian channel preceded the launch of the American flagship service by roughly three months, making it the first version of the format to operate internationally. Foxtel Management Pty Ltd ran the Australian service, while the Crime + Investigation branding and programming were licensed from A&E Television Networks for many years. From its beginning, the channel specialized in factual programming about crime and criminal justice. Rather than centering on scripted police drama, its schedule emphasized documentaries, factual series, reality formats and investigative programs. Common themes included unsolved cases, forensic science, homicide investigations, police patrols, criminal organizations, notorious offenders, missing people and courtroom or justice-related investigations. Much of the programming was sourced from overseas, although the channel also developed or carried Australian productions addressing local cases. A significant local title was Crime Investigation Australia, hosted by Steve Liebmann and broadcast from 2005 to 2009. The program examined infamous Australian crimes through interviews, reconstructions and documentary reporting. Other Australian-focused titles associated with the service included Crimes That Shook Australia and Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals. These programs complemented internationally acquired series such as Cold Case Files, COPS, Forensic Files, Homicide Hunter, Snapped, Road Wars and The New Detectives. The service expanded to New Zealand on 2 September 2007 through Sky. Its Australian branding changed in response to broader portfolio and presentation updates. On 5 March 2014, the channel was renamed Crime + Investigation. On 25 January 2017, another refresh reduced the visible identity to CI and coincided with high-definition availability. These changes updated the service’s presentation while retaining its crime-focused editorial proposition. The licensing relationship with A&E Television Networks ended on 31 July 2024. From 1 August 2024, Foxtel rebranded the channel Real Crime. The new name and logo were designed to align the service with the Real Life and Real History brands, creating a more unified identity for Foxtel’s factual channels. Although the name changed, the channel’s central subject remained real-world crime and investigation. Real Crime therefore represents the current phase of a service that has operated under several related identities—Crime & Investigation Network, Crime + Investigation and CI—since its 2005 launch.
- 2024
Real Crime launch identity
[1]The channel rebranded as Real Crime on 1 August after the previous A&E licensing arrangement ended.
- 2017
CI refresh and HD availability
[1]The service adopted the shortened CI identity and became available in high definition.
- 2014
Crime + Investigation rebrand
[1]The channel received a visual refresh and changed its name to Crime + Investigation.
- 2007
New Zealand distribution
[1]The channel became available in New Zealand through Sky on 2 September.
- 2005
Australian launch
[1]The service launched on 1 January as Crime & Investigation Network, replacing the Australian TechTV feed.
Products and positioning
A factual television destination centered on real crime, criminal investigations, forensic analysis, policing and mystery cases, with a schedule combining international acquisitions and selected Australian originals.
Pay television channel · 2024
Real Crime
The current Australian factual channel identity, launched on 1 August 2024. Real Crime presents documentaries, factual series and reality programming about criminal investigations, policing, forensic evidence, homicide, missing-person cases and notorious offenders. Its branding is aligned with Foxtel’s Real Life and Real History channels.
Australian true-crime series · 2005
Crime Investigation Australia
A locally focused documentary series presented by Steve Liebmann. Broadcast from 2005 to 2009, it explored notable Australian crimes through investigative narration, interviews and reconstructions. The program was one of the channel’s prominent original or locally oriented offerings.
Australian true-crime series
Crimes That Shook Australia
An Australian crime documentary format examining cases that attracted significant public attention. It fits the channel’s focus on local criminal history and combines case background with investigative and documentary storytelling.
Australian crime documentary series
Tough Nuts: Australia's Hardest Criminals
A locally oriented series about serious Australian offenders and criminal figures. The program extends the channel’s emphasis on criminal biography, law enforcement and the social history of crime in Australia.
Acquired crime documentary series
Cold Case Files
A crime-investigation series centered on unsolved or reopened cases, using forensic developments, investigative records and interviews to explain how authorities pursue cold cases.
Acquired forensic documentary series
Forensic Files
A factual series focused on the use of forensic science and physical evidence in criminal investigations. It represents the channel’s science-led programming strand.
Acquired police reality series
COPS
A reality television series following police activity and arrests. Its observational law-enforcement format is consistent with the channel’s broader focus on policing and criminal justice.
Acquired homicide investigation series
Homicide Hunter
A factual crime series built around homicide investigations and retrospective case analysis, providing narrative accounts of investigative work and the resolution of murder cases.
Brand decisions
2024
Rebrand the service as Real CrimeStrategyBackground
The licensing arrangement under which the Crime + Investigation programming and name were supplied to Foxtel ended on 31 July 2024.
Action taken
Foxtel relaunched the channel as Real Crime on 1 August 2024, with branding related to Real Life and Real History.
Aftermath
The channel retained its crime and investigation subject matter under a Foxtel-aligned factual-brand architecture.
2017
Refresh the channel as CI and add HDGeneration changeBackground
Foxtel undertook another channel presentation update and expanded the service’s technical distribution.
Action taken
On 25 January 2017, the channel dropped the longer name in favor of CI and became available in high definition.
Aftermath
The service gained a shorter on-air identity and an HD version while continuing its existing editorial focus.
2014
Adopt the Crime + Investigation identityOtherBackground
The channel refreshed its presentation and updated its name after operating for several years as Crime & Investigation Network.
Action taken
On 5 March 2014, it relaunched as Crime + Investigation.
Aftermath
The revised name continued the international Crime + Investigation branding while retaining the same crime-focused programming proposition.
2005
Replace TechTV with a dedicated crime channelStrategyBackground
The Australian TechTV feed was replaced as Foxtel introduced a channel dedicated to crime, investigation and mystery programming.
Action taken
The service launched on 1 January 2005 under the Crime & Investigation Network name.
Aftermath
The launch established the Australian service as the first international version of the Crime & Investigation concept.
Recent events
- 2024
Crime + Investigation rebrands as Real Crime[1]
Campaign · Product generation · Other
On 1 August 2024, the Australian service adopted the Real Crime name and a visual identity aligned with Foxtel’s Real Life and Real History brands.
- 2017
Channel adopts CI identity and adds HD distribution[1]
Product generation · Other
A second refresh on 25 January 2017 shortened the on-air identity to CI and made the channel available in high definition.
- 2014
Australian channel refreshes as Crime + Investigation[1]
Campaign · Other
A March 2014 brand refresh changed the channel name from Crime & Investigation Network to Crime + Investigation.
- 2007
Crime & Investigation becomes available in New Zealand[1]
Other
The service expanded its distribution to New Zealand through Sky, where it launched on 2 September 2007.
- 2005
Crime & Investigation Network launches in Australia[1]
Other
The channel began broadcasting in Australia on 1 January 2005, replacing the Australian feed of TechTV and introducing the Crime & Investigation Network brand.
Sources1 sources
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