PBS UK
Encyclopedia
PBS UK is a British pay-TV version of the American non-profit
television network PBS
. It is a joint venture
between entrepreneur David Lyons and PBS Distribution, which owns the international rights to the bulk of PBS's output. The UK branch of PBS operates much like BBC Worldwide
, a profit-making enterprise managed separately from the main non-profit, publicly financed arm, that will ideally generate money for its parent.
. On 23 August 2011, PBS UK launched a placeholder channel called Rosa on Sky channel 231, however they were able to acquire the more prominent channel 166 EPG slot from Information TV
for use from launch. On 28 October 2011, a barker channel
for PBS UK was added to Virgin Media channel 243. The cable operator has also secured the rights to offer PBS content on its video on demand service, including the Virgin Media Player.
, Frontline and Nova
as well as Ken Burns
documentary film
s such as Prohibition
. PBS NewsHour also airs the day after it is broadcast in the US. In total PBS UK is due to air 500 unique hours of content in 2011 and 1000 hours in 2012. Children's programming such as Sesame Street
does not air on the channel because the market is "well served for kids' content".
's Channel 4 Sales division is the exclusive advertising sales representative for the network. The general manager of PBS UK said of the pick, "In the States, PBS is well-loved and trusted for its award-winning programming, so it was essential for us to select a company capable of delivering a high quality viewing experience throughout the ad-breaks as well. There's an obvious fit between our two brands and we're delighted to be represented by Channel 4."
Branding and design agency Dunning Penney Jones was appointed to create the channel's on-air look and feel. As well as repurposing the PBS branding used in the US, they created new idents
specifically for the UK channel. The agency also designed four colour themes for each of PBS UK's four key programming strands for use on the channel, website and any off-air marketing.
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
television network PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. It is a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
between entrepreneur David Lyons and PBS Distribution, which owns the international rights to the bulk of PBS's output. The UK branch of PBS operates much like BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
, a profit-making enterprise managed separately from the main non-profit, publicly financed arm, that will ideally generate money for its parent.
Availability
PBS UK launched on 1 November 2011 via satellite on Sky and via cable on Virgin MediaVirgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
. On 23 August 2011, PBS UK launched a placeholder channel called Rosa on Sky channel 231, however they were able to acquire the more prominent channel 166 EPG slot from Information TV
Information TV
Information TV is a television organisation which broadcasts three free-to-air channels on Sky and Freesat in the United Kingdom.-History:Information TV came into existence in April 2003, and received its ITC licence in November 2003. It began broadcasting at 10am on Monday, 19 January 2004 on Sky...
for use from launch. On 28 October 2011, a barker channel
Barker channel
A barker channel is a form of electronic media known as digital signage. It is a TV channel that is entirely composed of sales promotion and advertising, usually marketing various features of the service carrying the channel...
for PBS UK was added to Virgin Media channel 243. The cable operator has also secured the rights to offer PBS content on its video on demand service, including the Virgin Media Player.
Programming
The channel consists of content drawn exclusively from PBS, both older and current for which it is able to secure the rights. The PBS UK lineup heavily features documentaries and history programs such as American ExperienceAmerican Experience
American Experience is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service Public television stations in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American history...
, Frontline and Nova
NOVA (TV series)
Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
as well as Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
s such as Prohibition
Prohibition (miniseries)
Prohibition is a 2011 documentary film for television directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick with narration by Peter Coyote. It describes how alcohol and its effects were connected to many different cultural forces. Immigration, women's suffrage, the income tax, and the temperance movement led...
. PBS NewsHour also airs the day after it is broadcast in the US. In total PBS UK is due to air 500 unique hours of content in 2011 and 1000 hours in 2012. Children's programming such as Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
does not air on the channel because the market is "well served for kids' content".
Branding and marketing
The slogan for PBS UK is "Where television matters". Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Channel 4 Sales division is the exclusive advertising sales representative for the network. The general manager of PBS UK said of the pick, "In the States, PBS is well-loved and trusted for its award-winning programming, so it was essential for us to select a company capable of delivering a high quality viewing experience throughout the ad-breaks as well. There's an obvious fit between our two brands and we're delighted to be represented by Channel 4."
Branding and design agency Dunning Penney Jones was appointed to create the channel's on-air look and feel. As well as repurposing the PBS branding used in the US, they created new idents
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
specifically for the UK channel. The agency also designed four colour themes for each of PBS UK's four key programming strands for use on the channel, website and any off-air marketing.