As previously reported, FOX has cancelled Cops after 25 seasons. The show has been picked up for a 26th year by Spike TV who will also air it on Saturday nights at 8pm.

Here’s the official press release from Spike:

NEW EPISODES OF “COPS” MOVE TO SPIKE TV IN SEPTEMBER 2013

New York, NY, May 6, 2013 – Spike TV will be the new television home for one of the longest running series in television history, “Cops,” it was announced today by Kevin Kay, President, Spike TV. The iconic series will move from FOX to Spike with new episodes debuting in September 2013.

“Cops,” concluding its 25th season in primetime this May, is the rawest and the most realistic of all reality shows. The ground-breaking series allows viewers to ride along with the men and women of law enforcement every week as they take on everything from domestic disputes to car chases.

“Cops is a remarkable series that has been able to sustain strong ratings well into its third decade, a monumental achievement in television,” said Kay. “As we continue to grow and expand our audience, new episodes of “Cops,” with its loyal audience of Adults 18-49, is the perfect addition to our primetime lineup on Saturday nights.”

Spike TV will keep “Cops” in its long-standing timeslot of Saturday nights at 8pm ET/PT. The network will also have access to a portion of the “Cops” vast library.

“After 25 seasons with FOX, we are delighted to find our new home with the Spike family where we previously aired Undercover Stings,” said John Langley, President Langley Productions. “And we are doubly pleased that our Cops timeslot remains Saturday nights for our fans. It may be bold to say, but we are looking for yet another record-breaking run with Spike!”

Created by John Langley, “Cops” premiered on March 11, 1989, and has aired over 900 new episodes. The show has followed officers in 140 different cities in the United States and in Hong Kong, London, and the former Soviet Union. Langley Productions is one of the U.S.’s premiere independent non-fiction production companies.

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com.

What do you think? Did FOX make the right decision? Did Spike?