Blox News Channel, more commonly known as Blox News, is a Robloxian news channel owned by rTV Networks. It is the oldest established Robloxian television channel dedicated to news and opinion programming, and it was the only one, until the launches of BBN News 24 and AGtv News Channel (later Gavent Network News) in 2013 (both now defunct). Blox News Channel started around September 2010 as an independent channel, BenzBot's first one. It operated independently until it "merged" with rTV, launched in July 2011, to create the rTV Networks in August 2011, and operates as an rTV Networks channel to this day.
History[]
As an independent channel (2010-2011)[]
Blox News Channel originated as an independent channel located in BenzBot's only place at the time, BenzVille. The channel had several programs: Blox News, the flagship news program, which still exists today, and Bloxcenter, an interview program, to name a few. The majority of their shows were moved over to rTV when it launched in July 2011: Rev It Up with rev2010, The Darkative Side, and The Tuhsury Show are examples. All of the former independent Blox News programming has since been cancelled by rTVN. The network produced three editions of its Blox News broadcast: One in October 2010, one in April 2011, and one of an unknown date. Of these three, only the October 2010 broadcasts are still accessible. The original Blox News set still exists, due to BenzBot saving it as a free model prior to the closure of the BenzVille place -- starting with version three, the studio was placed on the ground floor of the studio building of the rTV Networks HQ and Studios, along with the original BloxTV logo, as commemoration of the current group's beginnings.
As an rTV Networks channel (2011-present)[]
In August 2011, rTV merged with Blox News to create the rTV Networks, and as part of that company, it has not broadcast a full schedule, something BenzBot wishes to change. Its current programming consists of the flagship Blox News, World24, The Conversation, and InDepth, to name a few. Programming has not changed on the channel (aside from some additions) since the 2011 incorporation into rTVN. On July 15, 2013, Blox News hired 4 clan correspondents, and on July 18, released a new logo, which is an alteration of a logo which has been used (with some edits after becoming an rTV Network) since the start of the channel.
It was later announced that Blox News would launch its broadcasts on Thursday, July 25, with coverage of the war between TGI and VAK. It would be a limited launch, with only the main news program and World24 going to air. Blox News did launch on the 25th, at 5:57pm ET with a countdown. (The countdown was approximately three to five seconds late, though, according to rTVN, even though nobody would have truly noticed.) The scheduled World24 episode set to air that night failed to air due to issues in post-production (specifically, it took so long to produce Blox News that World24 could not be produced in time for the launch). The following day, July 26, it was announced that broadcasting would be stalled yet again, with the reason being workload. BenzBot asked for people to help with the production of the channel, but so far, only one person has offered assistance.
In the fall of 2013, rTVN removed Thursday night programming from Blox News Channel, as well as rTV and Rnetwork, due to "scheduling issues" (Thursday night programming would be reinstated for rTV and Rnetwork, but not Blox News, a few years later). On January 25, 2014, BenzBot agreed to allow CosimoValuta of The Mafia Films to use the name of the channel for his new movie PayDay For You and Me. After reading the plot synopsis three days later, BenzBot felt the need to reassure possible potential viewers that "this movie does not depict how the real Blox News Channel works", attempting to keep its image as an honorable, trustworthy, historic television network untainted by the movie.
On May 31, 2014, work was revealed on updated sets for Blox News and Roblox Central, and BenzBot announced that he wanted to launch both rTV and Blox News Channel very soon, adding that the latter will probably launch again before the former. On June 6, after hearing of BBN News' impending relaunch, he said that the channel could launch "as early as mid-to-late June" and that it would be "a full launch, unlike the previous single-program broadcast last summer", and believes that "[Blox News] will continue to outshine its competition as Robloxia's leading news source."
On June 20, 2014, the network broadcast once again, for one night, airing basically one program, the main newscast. The program was presented live, a first for rTV Networks, and was supposed to begin a weekend of Virtual BLOXcon coverage while also beating competing BBN News to the punch, as that channel was set to broadcast the following day. However, the live broadcast faced many difficulties, and, despite broadcasting for a channel record of an hour, less than a half an hour of content was produced due to issues with the live broadcast. Following the broadcast, BenzBot began to question the future of the Blox News Channel, as he believed at the time the channel might be too time-consuming a project to continue, on top of producing and broadcasting content for the other rTV Networks channels. BenzBot thinks that if more efficient ways to run the Blox News Channel are not created, it may be dropped to focus on expanding rTVN's entertainment channels, especially flagship rTV.
Recent developments (2016-present)[]
In November 2016, it was announced that Blox News Channel would be receiving a brand refresh which would include a new logo; both for the first time in three years. Additionally, it was announced that Blox News has intentions of finally launching its website as well. All of these were set to occur by the end of the year, according to BenzBot. Despite this, it is still unknown when Blox News Channel will broadcast again, as issues concerning output and workload continue to hamper these efforts. The new brand launched on the evening of December 1, 2016. BenzBot says the channel is focusing on the future, and plans to launch the channel's long-awaited website soon, leading up to a potential relaunch of the channel.
The Blox News website launched on December 16, 2016 with a full-width landing page. It is currently unknown when the site will enter regular service.
As of June 2017, the channel's website has not launched, owing to "other projects" at rTV Networks (such as the launch of rTV3, the acquisition of most of Gavent Networks, and other developments). However, the channel had become active in late-June 2017, with the construction of a revised set for the channel and "expansions into other programming opportunities", according to the network.
Programming[]
Programming on Blox News after the relaunch of the channel has already been announced, and is as follows:
- Blox News: Friday, 6pm ET, and Saturday and Sunday, 5pm ET. The main program, offering news developments from Robloxia and IRL, also features some additional content.
- World24: Fridays after the news. World news program, covering headlines sometimes not covered in the main newscast.
- Roblox Central: Saturdays after the news. Roblox reviews program, featuring interesting games, catalog items, and other things related to Robloxian culture.
- Blox Stadium: Sundays after the news. Robloxian and IRL sports review show. Features scores and analysis.
- The Conversation: Roundtable program featuring various Robloxian issues, in a similar serious manner to This Week.
- InDepth: Similar to IRL programs such as 20/20 . News program about current affairs topics. Usually covers a single story in much more detail than any of the other shows, hence the name InDepth.
Programs which are listed as airing "after the news" (and are advertised as such) are so listed due to the fact that the news program is of variable length due to the unpredictability of general news broadcasts.