BBC Knowledge (international)

BBC Knowledge was a television channel available in various countries outside the United Kingdom, showcasing factual and non-fiction entertainment programming from the BBC and independent UK production houses. Wholly owned by BBC Studios, it is not related to the previous channel known as BBC Knowledge, an early digital channel available within the UK, which closed down in 2002 in favour of BBC Four and CBeebies.

This article is about the international version of BBC Knowledge. For the defunct TV channel of the same name in the UK that has been replaced by BBC Four, see BBC Knowledge.

BBC Knowledge
CountryUnited Kingdom
Programming
Picture format576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Ownership
OwnerBBC Studios
Sister channelsCBeebies
BBC World News
BBC Lifestyle
BBC HD
BBC Entertainment
BBC First
History
LaunchedJuly 2007
Closed1 February 2015
(Poland)
13 April 2015 (Nordic Countries)[1]
14 April 2015 (Hungary,[2] Romania[3] & Turkey[4])
1 September 2015 (Africa)[5]
3 October 2015 (Asia)[6]
1 March 2016 (Italy)[7]
22 October 2018 (New Zealand)[8]
10 October 2019 (Australia)[9]
Replaced byBBC Earth
Links
Website
Availability (at the time of closure)
Streaming media
Foxtel GoChannel 612

At one time, the channel provided five key programming strands enabling simple appointment viewing:

  • The World delved and explored new cultures around the world
  • Science & Technology explored new frontiers, from space to motoring
  • People explored aspects of the human body and mind
  • The Past brought historical events, places and people back to life
  • Business offered invaluable advice to help stay on top of today's challenging business world.

On 15 November 2009, BBC Knowledge in Australia changed their channel location from Channel 619 to Channel 612.

In 2014 it was announced that BBC Studios would rollout a new channel, BBC Earth, which would replace BBC Knowledge in most locations, except for where it was successful.[10] Poland was the first location to launch the new brand on 1 February 2015.[11]

Launch and closure dates

BBC Knowledge was first launched in Singapore on mio TV (Now in Singtel TV) in July 2007. It has been available on now TV in Hong Kong since October 2007 and on the Cyfrowy Polsat digital satellite platform in Poland from December 2007 (Cyfra Plus in Poland plans its launch only on 1 Feb 2011 due to prior exclusive BBC deals with Polsat). BBC Knowledge launched in Indonesia on Indovision in April 2008, and in South Africa on DStv in September 2008. It has since also launched in the Scandinavian countries in November 2008 when it replaced BBC Prime on Canal Digital and several cable systems. It was launched in Australia on Foxtel and Optus Television on 1 November 2008; in South Korea on CJ HelloVision on 1 December 2008 and on GS Gangnam Broadcasting on 26 May 2009.

In June 2009, citing the lack of viewership, the BBC terminated its carriage deal with SingTel's mio TV to air BBC Knowledge, (along with CBeebies and BBC Lifestyle),[12] and entered into an agreement with StarHub TV to carry the channels from 1 August 2009, and in Romania on 31 December 2010.

BBC Knowledge was launched on Cable TV Hong Kong on 29 October 2009.[13]

The channel was launched in New Zealand in March 2011 replacing the Documentary Channel following that channel's sale to BBC Studios.[14]

From 1 March 2011 the channel is broadcast in Italy too. It's visible, in standard definition until 1 March 2016.

On 13 August 2013 the channel launched on Digiturk in Turkey.[15]

On 1 February 2015, BBC Knowledge launched on Australian IPTV service Fetch TV.[16][17]

The New Zealand BBC Knowledge channel was replaced by a localized version of BBC Earth on 22 October 2018.

The final BBC Knowledge channel in Australia was relaunched as a localized version of BBC Earth on 10 October 2019, therefore ending the use of the BBC Knowledge brand after 12 years.

Asia

Australia
Main article: List of television programmes broadcast by the BBC

See also

References
  1. "BBC overhauls channels in Nordic region". Telecompaper. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  2. "HD csatornát indított a BBC Magyar nyelven". Sat-TV-Radio.hu (in Hungarian). 14 April 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  3. "BBC Worldwide has today launched its new genre brand BBC EARTH as a linear channel in Romania". BBC Worldwide (Press release). 14 April 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  4. "BBC Expands Global Footprint across Turkey". BBC Worldwide (Press release). 14 April 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  5. "BBC Worldwide's new global brands BBC Brit and BBC Earth prove a hit with South African audiences". BBC Worldwide (Press release). 17 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  6. "BBC Earth to Launch in Asia" (Press release). 22 July 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  7. "Mediaset Premium spegne i canali BBC Knowledge e Discovery World da Marzo 2016" (Press release). MovieTele.it. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  8. "BBC Earth to launch on Sky in New Zealand" (Press release). realscreen.com. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  9. "BBC Earth to launch on Sky in New Zealand" (Press release). realscreen.com. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  10. Parker, Robin (27 January 2014). "BBC Brit unveiled by Worldwide". BroadcastNow. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. "BBC BRIT and BBC EARTH to make their global channel debut in Poland". BBC Worldwide (Press release). 4 November 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  12. "Entertainment/Hollywood News". The Hollywood Reporter.
  13. "Advertising, Marketing, Media, Digital, PR News & more".
  14. "C21Media".
  15. "BBC Worldwide Digiturk ile yeni anlaşma imzaladı". 6 August 2013.
  16. Knox, David (9 December 2014). "Fetch TV adds BBC First". TV Tonight. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  17. Perry, Kevin (9 December 2014). "Big Blow for Foxtel as they Lose Exclusive Rights for Premium Drama Channel BBC First". Nelbie. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
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