BBC launches new channel in Asia

BBC Worldwide is continuing the international rollout of its new channel brands with the launch of natural history offering BBC Earth in Asia.

Worldwide, the commercial arm of the UK pubcaster, has refined its channel offering, which is now focused on doc offering BBC Earth, lifestyle channel BBC Brit and premium drama service BBC First.

The BBC Earth service is launching in Lat-Am in September and Worldwide today announced plans for an Asian roll out.

David Weiland, executive VP for BBC Worldwide Asia said: “The premiere of BBC Earth in Asia is an important step in BBC Worldwide’s strategy to inspire audiences with intelligent, distinctive content. With BBC Earth, we will now have a compelling way to share premium BBC factual content with audiences in Asia and around the world.”

The BBC Knowledge channel will be rebranded Earth and the new service will be carried in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. There is also a BBC Earth block in Japan on Wowow. Elsewhere in Asia, Worldwide has already set up a JV to launch Earth in India.

The channel will launch region-wide on October 3. It will be programmed with high-end factual history content from the BBC including The Hunt (pictured), Shark and Life Below Zero.

Weiland added: “With an increased investment into new and premiere content, we are confident that BBC Earth will strike a chord with viewers in Asia.”