Re: [Swprograms] OT: BBC World gears up for American launch

["Sandy Finlayson" <sfinlayson@xxxxxxx>]

Note the scepticism in the following article on how successful Discovery will be in getting the cable and sattelite providers to agree... I suspect the comment about viewers appetite for international news is true...it is also very sad....


SF

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6301780.html?display=Breaking+News

Discovery To Distribute BBC 

 
By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/25/2006 10:58:00 AM 

Discovery Communications will distribute international news network BBC World News in the U.S. Discovery will now seek cable and satellite carriage for the 24-hour international news channel, which already reaches 128 million homes in 200 countries but has not been available as a stand-alone network in the U.S.

The pairing brings the first international news network to Discovery's portfolio, which includes 27 entertainment networks, and builds upon Discovery's current partnership with the BBC to distribute BBC America.

American viewers have had access to daily half-hour BBC World News programming on 229 PBS stations under a 1998 deal with Public Television station WLIW New York. As of now, the programming will still air on PBS.

BBC World programming has also run on BBC America, which reaches some 43 million homes through digital cable and satellite distribution. Discovery has distributed BBC America since its launch in 1998 and runs a BBC World News block weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and a half-hour program at 6 p.m. BBC World News, owned by BBC subsidiary BBC World Ltd., launched in 1995.

Discovery will try to gain carriage for the international news network at a time when cable and satellite companies are already strapped for bandwidth and skeptical about viewers' appetite for international news. 

Upstart 24-hour global news network Al Jazeera International has had a difficult time eking out U.S. distribution for its upcoming spring launch. The network has inked carriage deals in several other countries, including an 8-million home deal with BSkyB in the U.K., but after months of talks has not yet announced one carriage agreement in America. Plus, many cable and satellite providers already carry CNN International.

Discovery has no carriage deals to announce as of yet for the network, but a company representative said distributing BBC World News is "a high priority" for the company's affiliate sales group, which is in talks with cable and satellite providers. 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: swprograms-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:swprograms-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Mike
Barraclough
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 11:03 AM
To: swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Swprograms] OT: BBC World gears up for American launch


BBC World gears up for American launch

John Plunkett
Wednesday January 25, 2006

The BBC's international rolling news channel, BBC
World, is finally on the verge of launching in the US
after years waiting to secure distribution.

BBC World now has the chance to make its debut in the
world's largest TV market and compete with CNN and Fox
News on their home patch, after the BBC signed a
distribution deal with US factual programming giant
Discovery Communications.

Discovery will now begin negotiations with US cable
and satellite operators to secure distribution for BBC
World, which will be called BBC World News in north
America.

The corporation has long sought a Stateside platform
for the news channel, which launched 11 years ago and
is watched in more than 200 countries.

Full article (registration required)
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,1694616,00.html


	
	
		
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