Today, BBC Worldwide announced a partnership that will see BBC Earth and BBC World News launch on Cignal TV – a leading subscription-based Direct-To-Home satellite television service provider in the Philippines. This will be the inaugural launch of BBC Earth in HD, in the Philippines, exclusively on Cignal TV.
BBC Earth and BBC World News will launch on 1 April 2017, bringing premium natural history and factual content as well as up-to-the minute news and current affair programmes to the 1.6 million viewers in the country through the platform’s pre and post paid packages.
BBC Earth (Channel 245) is BBC Worldwide’s brand for premium factual content, from natural history and the human world to outer space and science. The channel showcases the work of the world’s foremost factual film makers as it takes audiences up close to the natural world. BBC World News (Channel 136), owned by BBC Global News Ltd., is the BBC’s award-winning 24 hour global news channel, offering world-class international news and feature programmes from an unrivalled network of journalists. BBC World News reports global breaking news whenever and wherever it happens and is the world’s most trusted international news channel with journalists in more places than any other international news broadcaster.
Myleeta Aga, SVP and General Manager of South and South East Asia, BBC Worldwide commented: “We are very excited that two highly rated channels from the BBC will now be available to Cignal’s 1.6 million pay TV subscribers. The Philippines is a country that is deeply passionate about natural history – it has the highest rate of discovery of new animal species with 16 new species of mammals discovered just in the last 10 years. We hope that BBC Earth, showcasing the work of the world’s foremost factual film makers, will take Filipino viewers on a journey of discovery, with heart pounding action and mind blowing visuals. And BBC World News, the leader in global breaking news, with a reputation of delivering impartial, in-depth analysis of international news, will meet Filipino viewers’ demands for high quality news content.”
“We are very excited to be partnering with BBC Worldwide to bring two premium BBC channels to our subscribers. We are committed to providing genre-defining content for our discerning viewers,” said Jane Jimenez-Basas, President, Cignal TV, “With the addition of BBC World News and BBC Earth to our platform, we are very pleased to be able to deliver on that promise.”
In Asia, BBC Earth is in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The channel is also available in India as Sony BBC Earth – a joint venture with Sony Picture Networks India. BBC World News is available in 433 million households across the globe and reaches almost 85 million people a week. BBC.com has 95 million unique browsers a month.
Programmes premiering on BBC Earth and BBC World News this April
BBC Earth:
- David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities (S4) reveals the most intriguing animals that natural history icon, Sir David Attenborough, encountered during his incomparable career, featuring two unique species connected by a distinctive evolutionary quirk in every episode;
- Trust Me, I’m A Doctor (S5) – Medical doctor and BBC TV presenter, Dr Michael Mosley and his team of doctors Chris van Tulleken, Gabriel Weston and Saleyha Ahsan do original science to get behind the hype and headlines and answer the health questions that matter; and
- Wild New Zealand – a series that reveals the country’s rich and inspiring wildlife stories, from Earth’s only species of flightless nocturnal parrots to New Zealand’s pioneering conservation heroes who are fighting to save some of its most endangered species.
Premiering later this year will be Blue Planet II, exclusively on BBC Earth. This brand new uber landmark series presented by Sir David Attenborough will showcase the wonders of the world’s oceans. Filmed over 4 years in UHD, Blue Planet II is testament to the quality that BBC Earth promises.
BBC World News:
- HARDtalk – In-depth interviews with hard-hitting questions and sensitive topics being covered as famous personalities from all walks of life talk about the highs and lows in their lives;
- Click – The Click team doesn’t just report on the latest technology, they immerse themselves in it. Whether it’s being the first TV show ever filmed and edited using only smartphones, or dancing Gangnam Style with a robot, Spencer Kelly and his friends live and breathe tech;
- Our World – Whether investigating the rise of exorcism in Mexico, discovering China’s ‘love hunters’ or unearthing Turkey’s hidden truths, the Our World team immerses themselves in their reports connecting with people on a human level and really getting to the heart of the story.
-Ends-
For more information, please contact:
Jeanne Leong
BBC Worldwide
Tel: +65 6849 5292
Email: Jeanne.Leong@bbc.com
Jessie Lim
BBC Worldwide
Tel: +65 6849 5295
Email: Jessie.Lim@bbc.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Its vision is to build the BBC’s brands, audiences, commercial returns and reputation across the world. This is achieved through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also champions British creativity globally.
In 2015/16 BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £133.8m and headline sales of £1,029.4m and returned £222.2m to the BBC.
For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review webpage: bbcworldwide.com/annual-review/.