Shows like American Idol have proved hugely popular

The Fox Reality Channel is due to debut on US television screens in the first three months of 2005.

Repeats of popular Fox shows such as American Idol, Joe Millionaire and The Simple Life, will be broadcast along with new material.

The broadcast group said it was reacting to the lucrative global boom in reality television.

Reality genre

Anthony Vinciquerra, Fox Networks Group president, said: "Fox has created some of television's most enduring reality programming while consistently taking the genre into exciting new directions.

"It was never so much a question of whether we might take this next step and launch a dedicated reality channel. It was only a matter of when."

The network has yet to respond to criticism that it poached programme ideas for new reality TV shows from rivals NBC and ABC.

Reality television has become a huge money-spinner in the last few years with programmes such as Survivor, Big Brother and Wife Swap.

Fox plan to provide behind-the-scenes footage from reality shows, including pre- and post-show interviews, auditions and out-takes.

The channel will take on existing reality cable channels, including Reality Central and Reality TV, and will be aimed at a core audience of young adults.