BBC Knowledge
The channel's final ident, "Zone Rings"
Launched	1 June 1999
Closed	2 March 2002
Owned by	BBC
Replaced by	BBC Four and CBeebies
Availability At time of closure
Terrestrial
DTT	Channel 13
Satellite
Sky Digital	Channel 553
Cable
NTL	Channel 12/127 (number later reassigned to BBC Four and CBeebies)
Telewest	Channel 245

BBC Knowledge was an early BBC digital television channel, available by cable, satellite, or terrestrial digital broadcasting, providing a programme of documentary, cultural and educational television. It was launched on 1 June 1999^[1] broadcasting 6 hours of educational material a day.

On 17 November 2001, the channel began broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At the same time, BBC Knowledge moved from the SDN multiplex to the BBC multiplex on the DTT service.

The channel's original schedule style was initially a 'bright and breezy' approach to education, aimed at both adults and children. After poor ratings, the format was replaced by a new schedule where content was arranged into 'zones' depending on topics ^[2][3]. The new zones made BBC Knowledge more of a serious documentary channel. Programming included a GCSE survival guide based upon the popular BBC series "Bitesize", entitled "Bitesize Etc" and the technology series The Kit.

The channel closed on 2 March 2002. At that time, BBC Knowledge was a 24 hour broadcasting channel, and it was replaced with 2 channels, CBeebies from 6:00am - 7:00pm and BBC Four from 7:00pm - 4:00am.

[edit] References

1. ^ BBC launches digital learning channel BBC News, 30 May 1999
2. ^ BBC Knowledge 1999-2002TV & Radio Bits
3. ^ BBC Knowledge Launch Schedule TV & Radio Bits

[edit] External links

• BBC Knowledge at TV Ark

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