BBC America

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BBC America is the BBC Worldwide owned-and-operated television network in the United States, which was launched on March 29, 1998, available on both cable and satellite.

Since its launch, BBC America has carried programming from the BBC and other British television networks, including comedy, drama, and lifestyle programmes. The current schedule is given to repeats of drama, comedy such as Benny Hill, home-improvement series such as Changing Rooms, and news bulletins from BBC World.

BBC America is distributed in association with Discovery Networks, the parent company of the Discovery Channel, which also handles the affiliate and advertising sales. Unlike the BBC's domestic networks which are supported through the licence fee, BBC America is wholly advertising-supported. Many comedy programs run in specially formatted 40-minute blocks that allow them to run unedited. Some shows with adult content are edited -- however, rear nudity and top frontal nudity for women have been shown on the channel, and some swear words have been allowed.

BBC America simulcasts news bulletins from BBC World with US commercials inserted. Previously, only individual 30 minute bulletins were simulcast — but in October 2005, the network began airing a full three-hour simulcast of BBC World in the mornings (from 6-9 AM ET, 3-6 AM PT). The simulcast consists of 3 30-minute news bulletins, plus editions of World Business Report, Sport Today, and BBC News Extra. A 30 minute bulletin also airs in the evening at 6-630 PM ET (3-330 PM PT).

During major breaking news situations, the network will sometimes take BBC World's coverage and pre-empt regular programming. The London Bombings in July 2005 were one such example. BBC World is not currently available in the US as a separate channel, but will be made available in 2006.

BBC America caused some dismay to some viewers when it dropped the soap opera EastEnders in October 2003, but it argued that the show was one of the channel's least popular, although EastEnders, along with other BBC programming, also appears on PBS stations. It now airs reruns of The Office, Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Coupling, Monty Python's Flying Circus, My Hero, Cash in the Attic, Little Britain, Look Around You, Bargain Hunt, and Blackadder. It also regularly purchases the US broadcasting rights to non-BBC British programmes, such as Father Ted, So Graham Norton, The Avengers, Footballers' Wives, Bad Girls, Mile High, The Saint and the British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

It was announced on Friday, April 14th, 2006 that BBC America has picked up the rights to air the horror series Hex Thursdays at 10PM Eastern beginning June 8th. [1]

BBC America is also available in Bermuda on Bermuda CableVision's digital cable TV service.

BBC America On Demand is an additional interactive tv channel available to digital cable subscribers. The channel offers a selection of BBC America programs, available for 2-4 weeks before being rotated out. Users pick the show they want to watch from a menu, and it is streamed into the user's cable box. There are no commercials on the channel, but some programs are interrupted for network promos.

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