Sky News Election Channel
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | News broadcasting |
| Founded | May 1, 2016 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Parent | Sky News Australia |
Sky News Election Channel is an Australian 24-hour news service available on cable and satellite through Foxtel, managed by Sky News Australia. It debuted on 1 May 2016, taking over from A-PAC on a temporary basis to deliver dedicated political coverage of the 2016 Australian federal election and the U.S. presidential election. Although initially scheduled to cease operations on 29 November 2016 with A-PAC resuming its slot, the channel's transmission period was extended, concluding on 23 January 2017.
On 28 June 2024, the channel was relaunched, once again supplanting Sky News Extra temporarily to provide focused reporting on political developments such as the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the 2024 French legislative election, and the 2025 Australian federal election.
Programming
The channel’s content included live coverage of press conferences, policy briefings, and election-related events from Australia and the United States, alongside reporting on the UK EU membership referendum. It incorporated programming from international affiliates like Sky News UK, C-SPAN, CBS News, and ABC World News. For its 2024 relaunch, the channel expanded its partnerships to feature content from CNN, Fox News, Reuters, and the AP.
Rebroadcasts of original Sky News shows such as AM Agenda, PM Agenda, Paul Murray Live, Beattie & Reith, and The Bolt Report were also included in the lineup.
The inaugural major broadcast event for the channel was the live telecast of President Barack Obama’s final address at the White House Correspondents' Association. Other notable broadcasts included the June 2016 memorial service for Muhammad Ali and coverage of the 2016 Walkley Awards, aired simultaneously on both the Election Channel and A-PAC.
With its 2024 return, the channel commenced broadcasting by airing the 2024 United States presidential debates live as its first significant event.
Availability
Initially, the channel was accessible on Foxtel channels 606 and 648, temporarily replacing Sky News Extra on channel 648 while that service transitioned to online platforms and Sky News Multiview. The launch offered standard definition only, with a high-definition simulcast introduced on 15 May 2016.
The reintroduced channel is currently available on Foxtel channel 603, once again taking over from Sky News Extra for a limited period. Additionally, it can be streamed via the Flash service and accessed through the Sky News website.