Difference between revisions of "BBC Prime"

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This station was launched in 1987 as '''[[wikipedia:BBC TV Europe|BBC TV Europe]]'''. It changed its identity to '''[[wikipedia:BBC World Service Television|BBC World Service Television]]''' from 11 March 1991, then to '''[[wikipedia:BBC Prime|BBC Prime]]''' from 26 January 1995. BBC Prime was replaced by '''BBC Entertainment''' from 11 November 2009.
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[[File:BBCPrimeLaunch.JPG|thumb|250px|right|BBC Prime launched, 26 January 1995]]
[[File:Prime 1993.JPG |right|thumb|250px|Dr Who (Colin Baker) BBC Prime, 4 April 1993]]  
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[[File:Prime 1993.JPG |right|thumb|200px|BBC World Service: "Dr Who (Colin Baker)" - Revelation of the Daleks BBC 2 repeat, 4 April 1993]]  
The station transmitted via the [http://wn.com/Intelsat_5 IntelSat] satellite, broadcasting on frequency '''601 27.5º west, at 10,995 and 11,155 gigahertz'''.  
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This cable and satellite channel was launched in 1987 as '''[[wikipedia:BBC TV Europe|BBC TV Europe]]''', serving continental Europe.  
  
It was the BBC's first entertainment channel available via satellite and cable across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, broadcasting 24 hours a day.  
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The station transmitted via the [http://wn.com/Intelsat_5 IntelSat] satellite, broadcasting on frequency '''601 27.5º west, at 10,995 and 11,155 gigahertz'''. The station broadcast a mixture of delayed programming originally shown on BBC1 and BBC2.  
  
BBC Prime aired a selection of BBC as well as ITV programming.  
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From 11 March 1991, '''BBC TV Europe''' changed its identity to '''[[wikipedia:BBC World Service Television|BBC World Service Television]]'''. From November 1991 it expanded its coverage to [[:Category:Australasia/Asia|Asia]]. As an example of the programming that was available, in '''April 1993''', the recent BBC2 repeat (from a few days earlier) of [[Revelation of the Daleks]] (see [[Airdates in the UK (BBC repeats)|BBC 2 repeats]]), played - as per this 1993 billing from a [[Spain|Spanish]] newspaper showing "Dr Who (Colin Baker)" (see below).  
  
 +
In early 1995, BBC World Service was split into '''BBC World''' (for news) and '''[[wikipedia:BBC Prime|BBC Prime]]''' (for entertainment).
  
'''TRANSMISSION'''
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From 26 January 1995, '''BBC Prime''' became the BBC's first entertainment channel available via satellite and cable across Europe, Asia, the [[:Category:Middle East|Middle East]] and [[:Category:Africa|Africa]], broadcasting 24 hours a day, and screening a selection of BBC as well as ITV programming.
  
We are not sure when '''Doctor Who''' started on this station.
 
For a time episodes aired twice on Saturdays, with the following episode later the same day – e.g. an episode would air at 1.05am, then repeated at 10.00am, with the next episode on at 5.30pm the same day. Sometimes, the early morning episodes were not available in Africa.
 
  
*According to a TV listing from a Spanish newspaper for Sunday, '''4 April 1993''' (see illustration), the [[Colin Baker stories|Colin Baker era]] was airing at that time.
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'''COUNTRIES'''
*The week the station was re-branded as '''BBC Prime''', the [[Jon Pertwee stories]] (the standard mixed format package of all 24 serials) commenced, weekly on Saturdays from 7:30pm: [[Spearhead from Space]] aired from '''28 January 1995'''.
 
*[[The Ambassadors of Death]] part one in colour and the re-colourised episode five aired in colour for the first time on BBC Prime.
 
*The [[Tom Baker stories]] screened from '''June 1997'''.
 
*On '''3 and 7 May 1999''', the '''"30 Years in the TARDIS"''' special aired.
 
*During the run of [[The Creature from the Pit]], the 1996 [[TV Movie]] aired on '''30 December 1999''', the actual date on which the movie was set. 
 
*[[Peter Davison stories]] played from '''September 2000'''.
 
*The [[Sylvester McCoy stories]] concluded with [[Survival]] in '''August 2002'''.
 
*The McCoy era was followed by [[The Five Doctors]], which lead into a further run of repeats.
 
  
It's unclear exactly when it was that the '''Doctor Who''' run ended on BBC Prime.
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The new '''BBC Prime''' was available in the following countries, some of which also had previously aired '''Doctor Who''' on their own domestic stations:   
 
 
'''BBC Prime''' was available in the following countries, some of which also had previously aired '''Doctor Who''' on their own domestic stations:   
 
 
*[[Belgium]]
 
*[[Belgium]]
 
*[[Denmark]]
 
*[[Denmark]]
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*[[Sweden]]
 
*[[Sweden]]
 
*[[Yugoslavia|Serbia]]
 
*[[Yugoslavia|Serbia]]
(and no doubt many others….)
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and no doubt many, many others...
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 +
 
 +
=='''DOCTOR WHO ON BBC PRIME'''==
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[[File:BBCPrimeAAA.JPG|thumb|right|300px|First episode on BBC Prime: Spearhead from Space, 7:30pm, 28 January 1995]]
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'''Doctor Who''' commenced on '''BBC Prime''' on Saturday, '''28 January 1995''', at 7:30pm (only two days after the channel was launched). The first story was [[Spearhead from Space]]. (None of the William Hartnell or Patrick Troughton stories aired.)
 +
 
 +
The screening schedule meant that episodes aired four times per week - initially on the Saturday, at 7:30pm, with a repeat on the Thursday evening at 6:30 or 7:30pm, another repeat on Friday morning (usually 1:00am) and finally the following Saturday, usually at 10:00am. The next episode would then air at 7:30pm that same day. Sometimes, the early morning Friday episodes were not available in Africa.
 +
 
 +
*[[The Ambassadors of Death]] part one in colour and the re-colourised episode five aired in colour for the first time on BBC Prime.
 +
*The [[Tom Baker stories]] screened from '''June 1997'''.
 +
*On '''3 and 7 May 1999''', the '''"30 Years in the TARDIS"''' special aired.
 +
*Mid-way through [[The Creature from the Pit]], the 1996 [[TV Movie]] aired on '''30 December 1999''', the actual date on which the movie was set. 
 +
*[[Peter Davison stories]] played from '''September 2000'''.
 +
*The [[Sylvester McCoy stories]] concluded with [[Survival]] in '''August 2002'''.
 +
*The McCoy era was followed by [[The Five Doctors]], which lead into a further run of repeats.
 +
 
 +
It's unclear exactly when it was that the '''Doctor Who''' run ended on BBC Prime. BBC Prime was subsequently rebranded as '''BBC Entertainment''' from 11 November 2009.
 +
 
  
 +
*'''IDENTS''':
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*[http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/otherchannels/bbcprime.html BBC PRIME IDENTS 1]
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*[http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/International/scandinavia/bbc_ent.html BBC PRIME IDENTS 2]
  
*'''IDENTS''': [http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/International/scandinavia/bbc_ent.html BBC PRIME IDENTS]
 
 
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
 
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
 
[[Category:Europe]]
 
[[Category:Europe]]

Revision as of 02:19, 1 May 2012

BBC Prime launched, 26 January 1995
BBC World Service: "Dr Who (Colin Baker)" - Revelation of the Daleks BBC 2 repeat, 4 April 1993

This cable and satellite channel was launched in 1987 as BBC TV Europe, serving continental Europe.

The station transmitted via the IntelSat satellite, broadcasting on frequency 601 27.5º west, at 10,995 and 11,155 gigahertz. The station broadcast a mixture of delayed programming originally shown on BBC1 and BBC2.

From 11 March 1991, BBC TV Europe changed its identity to BBC World Service Television. From November 1991 it expanded its coverage to Asia. As an example of the programming that was available, in April 1993, the recent BBC2 repeat (from a few days earlier) of Revelation of the Daleks (see BBC 2 repeats), played - as per this 1993 billing from a Spanish newspaper showing "Dr Who (Colin Baker)" (see below).

In early 1995, BBC World Service was split into BBC World (for news) and BBC Prime (for entertainment).

From 26 January 1995, BBC Prime became the BBC's first entertainment channel available via satellite and cable across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, broadcasting 24 hours a day, and screening a selection of BBC as well as ITV programming.


COUNTRIES

The new BBC Prime was available in the following countries, some of which also had previously aired Doctor Who on their own domestic stations:

and no doubt many, many others...


DOCTOR WHO ON BBC PRIME

First episode on BBC Prime: Spearhead from Space, 7:30pm, 28 January 1995

Doctor Who commenced on BBC Prime on Saturday, 28 January 1995, at 7:30pm (only two days after the channel was launched). The first story was Spearhead from Space. (None of the William Hartnell or Patrick Troughton stories aired.)

The screening schedule meant that episodes aired four times per week - initially on the Saturday, at 7:30pm, with a repeat on the Thursday evening at 6:30 or 7:30pm, another repeat on Friday morning (usually 1:00am) and finally the following Saturday, usually at 10:00am. The next episode would then air at 7:30pm that same day. Sometimes, the early morning Friday episodes were not available in Africa.

It's unclear exactly when it was that the Doctor Who run ended on BBC Prime. BBC Prime was subsequently rebranded as BBC Entertainment from 11 November 2009.