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BBC World

(February 2002)

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MH
mhking
Quote:
Larry Scutta on 10:05 am on Feb. 16, 2002
One of the BBC World satellite footprints does cover North America, but I suspect this is used to supply companies that relay their bulletins (PBS etc), BBC America and the Canadian outlets.

It is availiable to Latin America (with Latin American ads and occasional opts) - might be able to get that

Have a look at http://www.lyngsat.com it might tell you


BBC World is available in some of the more fancy hotel chains (Nikko, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, W Hotels) around the US. In addition, BBC World would be available for anyone in the US who gets the grey market Canadian dish systems.

M
AL
alekf
Quote:
c@t on 8:24 am on Feb. 16, 2002
I don't think it's just a case of jumping in and saying 'We want to broadcast to America'. You've got to consider whether it's feasible to broadcast there or not.

With CNN, Fox and MSNBC the BBC wouldn't stand much of a chance. Is it going to be worth investing a great deal of time and money trying to get your channel on to different cable and satellite networks, only to find that nobody is watching you?

There may well be the minority of Americans who do want to watch an international channel like BBC World, but the vast majority will probably not take the slightest interest in it.

I doubt very much whether it'd be economically viable for World to try to compete in such a strong market.




Well, at least before Sept 11 BBC World News @ 7.00 on PBS stations was the highest rated newscast at that hour - even beating Moneyline. Or so the Beeb says. I think the most difficult hurtle would be getting the cable and satellite companies to carry the channel - they're very picky and only care about the money...
PZ
pzg Founding member
Quote:
andyrew on 3:38 pm on Feb. 16, 2002
I could be speaking out my bottom here, but aren't there really strict ownership rules in the US?  BBC World is not in any form American, where as BBC America I believe is part of a deal with the Discovery Channel people.

I think that the ownership rules are only applied to terrestrial TV stations. TVE Internacional, the international channel of Televisión Española, is available on DIRECTV in the US.
MH
mhking
Quote:
PZG on 10:33 am on Feb. 17, 2002
Quote:
andyrew on 3:38 pm on Feb. 16, 2002
I could be speaking out my bottom here, but aren't there really strict ownership rules in the US?  BBC World is not in any form American, where as BBC America I believe is part of a deal with the Discovery Channel people.

I think that the ownership rules are only applied to terrestrial TV stations. TVE Internacional, the international channel of Televisión Española, is available on DIRECTV in the US.


Discovery is the co-licensee of BBC America; their domestic offices are shared with Discovery in Bethesda, MD.

Dish Network and DirecTV have international packages available to users in the US. DirecTV's package is their Para Todos package of Spanish language channels. Dish Network offers several packages with a number of international channels in different languages (Spanish, Polish, Chinese, South Asian, Russian, Greek & Arabic).

M

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