NBC has announced plans to launch a new channel dedicated to the crime, mystery and suspense genre.

'Sleuth', launching on January 1, will feature classic series Miami Vice, The A-Team and Knight Rider alongside movies such as Scarface, The Jackal, Casino, Sneakers and Mercury Rising.

"Crime, mystery and suspense are the all time most popular television genres and Sleuth will be a network devoted exclusively to these genres," said Jeff Gaspin, president of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment.

"The programming on Sleuth, tapped from NBC Universal's vast library, will appeal to a broad audience who will be able to enjoy everything from classic films and nostalgic TV shows to current documentaries and series."

Sleuth will be available from the off as a "digital triple pack service", including a standard definition channel, a high definition channel and a video-on-demand channel.

NBC has already secured carriage for the station with Time Warner Cable, guaranteeing it a footprint of at least 5 million.