The channel was announced in October 2000 and started broadcasting on November 16 that year. At the time of announcing, the channel claimed to have agreements with the three cable companies, but only had negotiations with Matav for its launch. The other companies (Tevel and Golden Channels) could not broadcast it due to apparent "technical limitations". Matav had recently expanded its spectrum from 550 to 860 MHz, meaning that it had the ability of adding new channels before starting regular digital services.[1] The Israeli licensee was Spike, a company led by Claire Elbaz and Adi Sofer. Columbia Tristar Television International supplied the branding, but only 12% of the programming. It was set to run on a sixteen-hour schedule, starting at 12pm and ending at 4am. From 10pm to closedown, three action movies were shown. The channel also aired extreme sports-related programming, the first of which being the 2000 ECO Challenge, which AXN had the worldwide rights to.[2] The Antitrust Committee decided not to exempt restrictions given to the cable companies and suggested a clause for Yes to carry the channel, which would affect AXN's finances. Another restriction prevented the companies from having a similar channel on their basic packages.[3]
In January 2002, the channel had a median audience share of 2,7%, in sixth place among independent cable channels (excluding channels owned by the cable companies).[4]In April 2002, the channel started airing Mutant X and Seven Days.[5] AXN started its 2004 season of programming on February 13, with eleven new seasons of its popular programming. This also included a content agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to carry series such as The X-Files, to which AXN already had the rights to repeats of the first three seasons (the channel aimed at buying the remaining seasons).[6]
In June 2008, negotiations between SPTI and HOT turned out fruitless, causing AXN Israel's shutdown, initially scheduled for mid-November.[7] Within days, HOT announced its replacement channel, HOT XTRA ACTION, produced by Dori Media Spike.[8] Bip took over its former slot (channel 6).[9]
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