The BBC is forbidden under its charter to directly undertake any commercial operations on-air within the United Kingdom; however, no such restriction applies to operations in other countries. Therefore, the BBC exploits its massive television archive by operating a number of commercial television channels outside the UK through its BBC Studios subsidiary.
Some channels are wholly owned by BBC Studios, others are operated as joint ventures with other broadcasters.
Wholly owned channels
BBC News Arabic – Arabic news channel available in the Arab world
BBC Brit – an entertainment channel available in the Nordics, Poland and South Africa. Replaced by BBC Nordic in the Nordics in April 2023 BBC Earth – a documentary channel available in the Nordics, Romania, Poland, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Asia, South Africa and South America. Replaced by BBC Nordic in the Nordics in April 2023 BBC Entertainment – entertainment channel available in Europe (except the Nordics and Eastern Europe), Turkey and Israel BBC First – an entertainment channel focusing on comedy, crime and drama programming. Available in Asia, Australia, Benelux, Central and Eastern Europe (Croatia, North Macedonia, Poland and Slovenia), MENA and South Africa BBC HD – a high-definition television channel available in Turkey BBC Knowledge – an educational and informational channel available in Australia and New Zealand (not related to the UK-only BBC Knowledge, which has been replaced) BBC Lifestyle – available in Poland, South Africa and Asia BBC Persian – an Iranian/Afghan news channel available in Europe, Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan BBC UKTV – an entertainment channel available in Australia and New Zealand (formerly in a 20% joint venture with Foxtel (60%) and RTL (20%), but as of 1 July 2008 wholly owned) BBC News – an International news channel from the BBC available worldwide (not related to the UK-only BBC News) CBeebies – a channel for children aged 6 or under. Available in Poland, South Africa, Asia, Australia and MENA, with the domestic channel also available in Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland BBC Nordic – an entertainment and documentary channel, replacing BBC Brit and BBC Earth in the Nordics
Other
The domestic BBC channels are not distributed outside of the United Kingdom. However, these channels are widely available on cable and IPTV in Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland. BBC Studios also operate the UKTV network in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Defunct channels
BBC Food – Southern Africa/the Nordics; has been rolled into BBC Lifestyle
BBC Japan – an entertainment channel available in Japan, ceased broadcasting in 2006, owing to the closure of its local distributor BBC Prime – entertainment channel available in Africa, Asia and Europe; ceased operations on 11 November 2009 and subsequently replaced by BBC Entertainment
Joint ventures
United States
BBC America – entertainment channel available in US. Owned by BBC Studios (50.01%) and AMC Networks (49.99%).
Canada
In Canada, channels are required by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to have a certain quota of original Canadian content. The following BBC channels are operated in conjunction with Corus Entertainment and Knowledge West Communications respectively, with BBC having a 20% stake in each channel.
BBC Canada – entertainment channel available in Canada
BBC Kids – children's channel available in Canada
History
BBC World Service Television (1991–1994) BBC World News (formerly known as BBC World Service Television) was officially launched by Actress of the Republic of Indonesia's Djenar Maesa Ayu on 15 November 1991 at 20:00 HKT from the Hong Kong International Airport (formerly known as Kai Tak International Airport) in Kowloon Bay located of Kowloon Peninsula with 100-original staff members. It showed news programming from BBC1 and BBC2 in addition to BBC World Service News.
Its schedule consists of some locally made programs in Hong Kong as well as news programmes from STAR News, it signed an agreement with CNN International News, allowing its access to that channel's programming. It also relayed Seputar Indonesia news programme from Indonesian free-to-air terrestrial television channel's RCTI which was also available in Hong Kong.
STAR TV, would buy 20 per cent of BBC WSTV, giving it a firmer foothold in Asia.
Following STAR TV acquisition by Rupert Murdoch, BBC WSTV was removed from the satellite beam that broadcast across East Asia on 1 March 1994. However, it was meant to still be on-air in South Asia until 31 March 1996.