Pop Max
Pop Max (formerly Kix! and then Kix) is a British free-to-air children's television channel in the United Kingdom, owned by Narrative Entertainment UK Limited.[1] As of June 2014, it broadcasts cartoons, sci-fi, action and adventure series and anime on Sky and Freesat. Its target audience is 7 to 15-year-old boys.[2]
![]() Logo used since 2017 | |
Country | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 16:9 576i SDTV |
Timeshift service | Pop Max +1 |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
Sister channels | |
History | |
Launched | 19 May 2008 |
Replaced | Pop +1 |
Former names | Kix! (2008-14) Kix (2014-17) |
Links | |
Website | popfun.co.uk/pop-max |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
See separate section | |
Streaming media | |
See separate section |

History
At 6am on 19 May 2008, Pop +1 ceased broadcast and was directly replaced on-air with Kix content on Sky channel 627. Medabots was the first programme to be broadcast under the Kix! identity.
Kix was the fourth dedicated kids' channel to be launched by CSC: its three sister channels are Pop which was launched in October 2002, and shows cartoons and pop music videos for a mixed audience; Tiny Pop, which was launched in July 2004, and shows cartoons for young children and pre-schoolers; and Pop Girl, a defunct channel launched in 6th August 2007.
In August 2008, Kix! launched onto Freesat.[3]
In May 2013, Kix! was renamed to Kix.[4] The labelling on the onscreen programme guide was changed in accordance with this. However, the Kix logo continued to include the exclamation mark until summer 2014.
Unlike all the other channels from Narrative Capital, Pop Max is not on Virgin Media.
Kix broadcasts on Freeview since April 2016, following the earlier addition of Pop and Tiny Pop to the service. Until 2019, Kix transmitted on the same local-TV multiplex as Pop, so that Kix was only available in areas where Pop is available. In August 2017, Kix rebranded its identity and is now under the Pop Max brand; however, its programming remained relatively unchanged.[5] In June 2019, Pop Max moved to the G-MAN multiplex, meaning that Pop Max only broadcasts in Manchester on Freeview.[6] As of 2021, Pop Max is not widely available on Freeview in the UK.
In early 2022, a live Pop Max stream was added to the Freeview Play version of the Pop Player app.[7] On 25 May 2022, Pop Max was delisted from Freeview and was replaced with the Pop Player channel.
As of 2023, Nate is Late and Skylanders Academy are the only Pop Max exclusive programs.
Sky channel moves
As part of the major EPG reshuffle on 1 May 2018, Pop Max moved from channel 627 to 626, Pop Max +1 moved from channel 629 to 627.
On 11 January 2021, Pop Max moved from channel 626 to 620.
On 11 January 2021, Pop Max +1 moved from channel 627 to 621.
Availability
Online
- FilmOn (UK): Watch live
Satellite
Terrestrial
- Freeview (UK): Channel 208 (Pop Player)
Kix Power and Kix +1
In July 2013, Kix received Kix Power, which replaced Pop Girl +1 on Sky.[4] Kix Power broadcast only Power Rangers. Kix Power was replaced by a Kix +1 service in October 2013, and this timeshift ran through October to November 2013. Kix Power was then reintroduced in November 2013 for a second run, to operate in the run-up to December 2013, with Kix +1 resuming at the start of January 2014. Kix Power returned again, replacing Kix +1, on an ad hoc basis around major school holiday periods.
In April 2014, Kix +1 relaunched this time as Kix +. In July 2014, Kix + was closed down and replaced with Pop +1, which closed in 2008 and was replaced with Kix. In October 2014, Kix was rebranded as Kix Power for the October half-term. In October 2015, Kix +1 relaunched, replacing Pop Girl. In June 2016, Kix +1 was removed from Freesat and was replaced with Pop +1. In December 2016, Kix Power launched on Virgin Media.
Programming
The channel sources its programming from multiple independent studios. [8]
Current programming
- Angry Birds Toons
- Bakugan: Evolutions
- Banzi's Secret Diary
- Grizzy & the Lemmings
- Kung Fu Sock
- Lego City Adventures[9]
- Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir
- Nate Is Late
- Pokémon the Series: Black & White
- Pokémon the Series: XY and XYZ[10]
- Pokémon Journeys: The Series
- Power Players[11]
- Power Rangers
- Skylanders Academy[12]
- Space Chickens in Space
- The Strange Chores[11]
- Talking Tom and Friends
- Total DramaRama
Former programming
- 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd
- 3 Amigonauts
- ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks
- Bakugan: Battle Brawlers
- Bakugan: Battle Planet
- Bakugan: Armored Alliance
- Bakugan: Geogan Rising[13]
- The Batman
- Batman Beyond
- Beyblade
- Beyblade Burst
- Biker Mice from Mars (2006 series)
- Bunny Maloney
- Code Lyoko
- Clay Kids
- Cosmic Quantum Ray
- Counterfeit Cat
- Cupcake & Dino: General Services
- Detentionaire
- Digimon Data Squad
- Dino Squad
- Dinosaur King
- Dr. Dimensionpants
- Dragon Ball GT
- Dragon Ball Z
- Dragon Ball Z Kai
- The Dukes of Broxstonia
- Freaktown
- Get Ace
- Grojband
- Hanazuki: Full of Treasures
- The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange
- Inazuma Eleven (seasons 1 and 2 only)
- Iron Man: Armored Adventures
- Justice League
- Justice League Unlimited
- Lab Rats Challenge
- Legend of the Dragon
- Legends of Chima
- LEGO Nexo Knights
- Medabots
- Mega Man: Fully Charged
- Metajets
- Monster Warriors
- The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
- ¡Mucha Lucha!
- My Dad the Rock Star
- The Mysterious Cities of Gold
- Naruto
- Naruto Shippuden (censored version)
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
- Numb Chucks
- Oh No! It's an Alien Invasion
- Oggy and the Cockroaches
- Pinky and the Brain
- Pirate Express
- Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
- Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
- Power Rangers
- Power Rangers Beast Morphers
- Power Rangers Dino Charge
- Power Rangers Dino Thunder
- Power Rangers in Space
- Power Rangers Jungle Fury
- Power Rangers Megaforce
- Power Rangers Mystic Force
- Power Rangers Ninja Steel
- Power Rangers Ninja Storm
- Power Rangers Operation Overdrive
- Power Rangers R.P.M
- Power Rangers Samurai
- Power Rangers S.P.D.
- Power Rangers Time Force
- Power Rangers Wild Force
- Rabbids Invasion
- Rated A for Awesome
- Scan2Go
- SheZow
- Slugterra
- Sonic Boom
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic Underground
- The Spectacular Spider-Man
- Storm Hawks
- Tales from the Cryptkeeper
- Total Drama Island
- The Transformers
- Transformers Cybertron
- Transformers: Cyberverse
- Transformers: Rescue Bots
- Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
- Trolls: The Beat Goes On!
- Ultimate Muscle
- Voltron: Legendary Defender
- Wolverine and the X-Men
- X-Men: Evolution
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Zak Storm
Logos
- Kix! (19 May 2008 until 10 July 2014)
- Kix! +1 (1 October 2013 until 10 July 2014)
- Kix! Power (22 July 2013 until 10 July 2014)
- KiX (10 July 2014 until 30 August 2017)
- KiX +1 (10 July 2014 until 30 August 2017)
- KiX Power (10 July 2014 until 30 August 2017)
- PoP MAX (Logo used since 30 August 2017)
References
- "Sony Pictures Television U.K. Channels Sold to U.S. Investment Firm Narrative Capital". Variety. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "Kix | Showreel | CSC Media". Cscmediagroup.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- "Freesat adds BET, five others". Digital Spy. January 2014.
- "News". Overnights.tv. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- "Kix changes name to Pop Max". Digitaltveurope.com. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- "Freeview Advice | Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- "Pop Max Pokemon Takeover Feb 2022".
- "What's on Pop Max?". tv24.co.uk. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- "Pop Max". TvProfil. 11 June 2022.
- "Pokémon on POP Page". POP. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- "Pop Max". TvProfil. 3 October 2022.
- "Pop Max". TvProfil. 2 January 2023.
- "Pop Max". TvProfil. 29 August 2022.