Charge! (TV network)


Charge! is an American digital broadcast television network that is owned by the Sinclair Television Group subsidiary of the Sinclair Broadcast Group and operated by the MGM Television division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The network features action- and adventure-based programming sourced primarily from the MGM television and film library.
The network is also available via a website stream for mobile devices. broadcast networks. Charge is also available via streaming services Stirr.

Background

Sinclair Broadcast Group had already put three digital broadcast television networks on the air. The first was with MGM, the science-fiction network Comet, which was launched in October 2015. American Sports Network, Sinclair's sports programming arm, was broadened to include full network operations on January 11, 2016. Sinclair started TBD, a network targeting millennial audiences, which commenced operations on February 13, 2017 in a soft launch.

History

Charge! was formally announced by Sinclair and MGM on January 17, 2017. The network debuted on February 28, 2017. Stations carrying The Works replaced the network with Charge.

Programming

Programming on Charge! is sourced primarily from MGM's library of films and TV series, expressed by Sinclair's press release announcing the launch as "one of the deepest libraries of premium action-themed content in the world." Titles indicated as airing on Charge! include the TV series In the Heat of the Night and The Magnificent Seven, the Rocky and James Bond film series, and other motion pictures including Platoon and Dances with Wolves.
Ring of Honor Wrestling, the weekly professional wrestling television series produced by the Sinclair-affiliated promotion Ring of Honor, began airing on the network from July 9, 2017. The series was previously syndicated to sibling broadcast network Comet.
On April 6, 2020 Charge! will begin airing Magnum P.I. and Knight Rider in addition to their line-up consisting of CHiPs and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Affiliates

At its outset, Sinclair slated the launch of Charge! to primarily take place on digital subchannels of stations it owns or operates. Other Sinclair stations will likely add Charge! during Spring 2017, and Sinclair will continue to offer the network to stations outside its geographic footprint. As of February 12, 2019, there are 56 affiliates of which 49 have the network on the air and 7 that have committed to broadcasting the network.