BBC First

BBC First extends Dutch distribution

BBC Worldwide is upping the distribution of BBC First in the Netherlands after agreeing a deal with TV, internet and phone provider Caiway. The operator will carry the ‘best of British drama’ channel from June 15, and it will available to its 200,000 subscribers. The fully localised Dutch version of BBC First is already available […]

BBC First among nets hearing A Word

BBC First in the Benelux region is among five buyers of Keshet International’s British drama The A Word. UKTV in New Zealand, Polish pubcaster TVP, Brazilian cable and satellite provider Globosat, and South Korean public service network EBS are the other networks to acquire the BBC One six-parter, which soon launches a second season. Amazon […]

BBCWW streams channels on TVB SVOD platform

BBC Worldwide has launched five channels on myTVSuper, the SVOD service operated by Hong Kong’s free-TV broadcaster TVB. BBC First, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Earth, CBeebies and BBC World News have all rolled out on the service. They can be live streamed, with a 14-day catch-up window for all shows on the nets. Premium drama service […]

BBC SVOD drama First in Hong Kong

The premium BBC First drama service has launched as an SVOD proposition in Hong Kong. The BBC First service will launch via the Now TV service in Hong Kong, the largest pay TV platform in the territory. Shows on the premium SVOD service include Doctor Who spin-off Class (pictured), Amazon and BBC Worldwide fashion drama […]

BBC launches first TV Everywhere service

BBC Worldwide has launched BBC Player, a branded TV Everywhere service in partnership with Singaporean pay TV giant StarHub. TV Everywhere services have proved popular with channels and operators in the US in particular, and allow authenticated pay TV subs to stream channels from their pay TV bundle. The branded BBC Player, which is now […]

BBC First, CBC hear The A Word

BBC First is Australia and CBC in Canada are the latest buyers of Keshet International-sold British drama The A Word. European pubcasters YLE, from Finland, Iceland (RUV), Croatia (HRT) and Slovenia (RTV) have also licensed the series, along with pay TV platform Yes in Israel. This comes as American coproducer SundanceTV came onboard the second […]

BBC Worldwide launches Asia SVOD service

BBC Worldwide is launching a multi-genre SVOD platform in Singapore this year, with plans to expand it further in the offing. BBC Player will offer subscribers of the StarHub TV platform access premium network BBC First and factual entertainment-focused BBC Brit, and select shows from BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC World News. The […]

BBC launching drama channel in Middle East

BBC Worldwide has struck a deal with OSN and will roll out its drama channel in the Middle East and North Africa region on the regional pay TV platform. BBC First is one of Worldwide’s key channel brands after it rejigged its offering last year, and has already rolled out in Australia and parts of […]

Vivendi relaunches Watchever with SVOD ‘channels’

Watchever is being relaunched with a raft of international content companies launching channel-type offerings on the German SVOD service. Watchever is owned by Vivendi. Last year the French media giant implemented a transformation plan and brought in Karim Ayari to run the service. Speaking exclusively to TBI about the relaunch, Ayari said: “We feel we need […]

Buyers briefing: Jon Farrar, BBC Worldwide

Name: Jon Farrar Title: Senior VP, global programming and acquisitions Jon Farrar oversees the programming and acquisitions strategy for BBC Worldwide’s new channel brands, BBC Brit, BBC Earth and BBC First. The executive has had two spells with the BBC’s commercial arm, and has also worked in programming at Viacom and NBCUniversal. Here he outlines […]