Television channel
BBC Earth
is a
Canadian
discretionary service
channel owned by
Blue Ant Media
. It is a localized version of the international
BBC Earth
brand, which is licensed from
BBC Studios
, a subsidiary of the
BBC
. The channel broadcasts factual programming related to natural history and wildlife.
History
[
edit
]
In April 2006, John Panikkar (co-founder of the channel's original owner,
High Fidelity HDTV
), was granted a licence by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
(CRTC) to launch
AHD
(for
Adrenaline HD
), described as "a national, English-language Category 2 high definition (HD) specialty programming undertaking... that would focus on the impact of high definition imagery on high-octane, limit-defying human activity and adventure that tests individual personal limits, both physical and mental."
[1]
The channel launched on September 5, 2006
[2]
as
Rush HD
, with its name, and much of its programming, licensed from
Rainbow Media
, the owners of the
Voom HD Networks
, owners of the original Rush HD-branded channel in the United States.
Like its American counterpart, Rush HD originally broadcast programming largely focused on
high adventure
and
extreme sports
such as
snowboarding
,
windsurfing
,
bungee jumping
, and
cliff diving
. Over a year after the American version shut down, Rush rebranded as
radX
on August 23, 2010.
[3]
With the rebrand, programming was expanded to include a broader range of action-related programming such as feature films, outdoor lifestyle, travel, reality television, and other programming aimed primarily at men.
On December 21, 2011, radX's parent company, High Fidelity HDTV, announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased outright by Blue Ant Media, majority owners of
Glassbox Television
and minority owners of Quarto Communications. While initially purchasing 29.9% of the company, the remaining 70.1% was purchased after it was approved by the CRTC.
[4]
In December 2016, Blue Ant Media announced that it had reached an agreement with
BBC Worldwide
to rebrand radX as
BBC Earth
in January 2017,
[5]
later confirmed officially as January 23, 2017.
[6]
Blue Ant Media has had a history of partnerships with the BBC, while its CEO
Michael MacMillan
assisted in launching the
BBC Canada
channel whilst working for
Alliance Atlantis
. BBC Worldwide North America president
Ann Sarnoff
remarked that Blue Ant Media had a strong interest in factual programming, and that the timing of the launch would coincide with the then-upcoming North American premiere of
Planet Earth II
.
[5]
[7]
References
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]
External links
[
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]
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