BBC Kids (Canadian TV channel)

BBC Kids (Canadian TV channel)
BBC Kids was a Canadian specialty television channel carrying programming for children and teenagers. It was a joint venture between Knowledge West Communications, which managed the network and held the majority 80% interest and was a subsidiary of Knowledge Network, with BBC Studios licensing the BBC brand and holding the remaining 20% in the JV. Originally an ad-supported network, it transitioned to non-commercial operation when it was transferred to Knowledge.
History
Launch
In November 2000, Alliance Atlantis was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch BBC Kids, described as "a national English language Category 2 (what is the current category B) specialty television service devoted to top-quality educational and entertaining programming for children and youth (ages 2-17). It will feature programming primarily from the UK and around the world. 65% of the programming will target children ages 2 to 11, the majority of which will target 6 to 11 years old and 35% will target youth ages 12 to 17."
The channel launched on November 5, 2001 as a joint venture between Alliance Atlantis and BBC Worldwide, the BBC's overseas operating arm. As was its remit, it primarily sourced its programming from networks and producers from the United Kingdom, though its programming sources were never exclusively limited to those of the BBC. This also included international co-productions, including Tots TV, Mr. Bean: The Animated Series, and The Sleepover Club. It also broadcast a small amount of Canadian and Anglo-Canadian co-productions (including previously-produced Alliance Atlantis programming co-produced with an American network such as PBS, Disney Channel, or Nickelodeon for American broadcast) to meet CRTC Canadian content regulations and quotas.
Transition from Alliance Atlantis to Knowledge Network
On January 18, 2008, a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners known as CW Media, acquired control of BBC Kids through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in a trust in August 2007. It then became a part of Shaw Communications on October 10, 2010 after it acquired Canwest outright with the GSCP stake in CW Media.
Shaw's ownership would be short-lived due to regulatory requirements to sell some former CW Media assets, and that process started on December 22, 2010 with early due diligence with a then-undisclosed sales partner. On January 17, 2011, Knowledge Network Corporation, a Crown corporation of the Government of British Columbia, announced it had finalized an agreement to purchase the channel through a subsidiary called Knowledge-West Communications Corporation from Shaw Media. BBC Worldwide would retain its existing interest. The sale was completed on April 29, 2011, and with it and CRTC approval, it converted from a commercial network to a non-commercial service, while relocating operations from Toronto to Burnaby in suburban Vancouver.
The transaction resulted in a decision by cable providers in The Bahamas and Jamaica (which generally import Canadian channels onto their services for the convenience of snowbirds visiting the West Indies) to drop the network at the end of 2011.
Closure
On October 2, 2018, a joint statement from Knowledge Network and BBC announced the channel would cease operations at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 2018. Though there was no reasoning for the closure stated originally, then-Knowledge chief Rudy Buttignol subsequently cited the end of the CRTC's traditional protection of small and independent networks to allow for broader discretionary services without any programming restrictions. Knowledge continues to carry programming from the BBC, and CBBC/CBeebies programming as a part of Knowledge Kids, including programming from BBC Kids merged onto the Knowledge schedule. On January 10, 2019, the CRTC revoked the channel's license at the request of Knowledge.
Programming
2gether: The Series
3 Non Blondes
90 Days in Hollywood
4 O'Clock Club
Ace Lightning (2003-2010)
The Adventures of Paddington Bear
The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police
Absolutely Fabulous
Albie (2002-2004)
All About Animals
Anatole (2002-2006)
Andy Pandy (2002-20??)
Andy's Wild Adventures
Animal Stories
The Animals of Farthing Wood (2001-2002)
Atomic Betty (2011-2018)
Balamory (2004-2011)
Bananas in Pyjamas (2001-2009)
Barney
The Basil Brush Show (2003-2008)
Be the Creature
Bear Behaving Badly (2008-2011)
Beauty and the Geek
The Beeps
Being Ian
Belfry Witches (2001-2003)
Bernard
The Best (2008-2009)
Best in Australia (2009-2011)
Big Babies
Big Bear and Squeak
The Big Knights
Big Wolf on Campus
Bill and Ben (2001-2005)
Binka (2001-2011)
Bits and Bobs
Blackadder (2004-20??)
Blazing Dragons
Blue Peter
Boj (2015-2018)
Boogie Beebies (2007-2010)
Brady's Beasts
Brat Camp
Buzz and Tell
Byker Grove
Caitlin's Way
The Call
Canimals
Cavegirl (2003-2004)
Celeb
CG Kids
Changing Rooms
Charlie and Lola
Chorlton and the Wheelies
Clangers
Creature Comforts
Creepy Crawlies
Crocadoo
Custer's Last Stand-up
The Cuties
D'Myna Leagues
Dance Academy
Dawson's Creek (2010-2011)
Dead Gorgeous
Deadly 360
Deadly 60
Deadly Mission Madagascar
Deadly Nightmares of Nature
Deadly Pole to Pole
Deadly Top 10
Degrassi High
Degrassi Junior High
Digby Dragon (2016-2018)
Dinosapien (2007-2010)
Dinosaur Detectives (2001-2007)
DIY TV
Doctor Who
Dogs with Jobs
Don't Blame the Koalas (2004-20??)
Doodlez
Eckhart
Ed and Oucho's Excellent Inventions
Emily of New Moon
Emma
Escape from Scorpion Island
Eureka TV
Extreme Animals
Factomania
The Famous Jett Jackson (2004-2010)
Fierce Earth
FightBox (2004-2005)
Fimbles
Florrie's Dragons (2011-2016)
Fraggle Rock (2006-2009)
Freefonix (2009-2011)
French and Saunders
Garth and Bev (2011-2014)
Gawayn
Gazoon
The Gees
The Genie from Down Under
Girls in Love
Gjaney Verde
The Graham Norton Show (2008-2011)
Grange Hill
Groove High
Hairy Jeremy
Hank Zipzer
Harry and Toto
Hey Duggee
The Hive
Hollyoaks
Home Farm Twins
Home on Their Own
Horrible Histories (2011-2018)
Horrible Science
Humf
Hyperdrive
I Am Not an Animal
I Can Cook (2011-2012)
I Was a Sixth Grade Alien (2007-2009)
Igam Ogam
In the Night Garden
In a Heartbeat
Inspector Gadget (2017-2018)
Inside Life
It'll Never Work?
Ivick von Salza
Jamie's School Dinners (2008-2009)
Jeopardy (2002-2004)
Joan of Arcadia
Joe and Jack (2012-2015)
The Jungle Bunch
Just One Bite
K-9 (2012-2013)
Kate & Mim-Mim (2014-2018)
Kerwhizz (2011-2016)
KidsWorld Sports
King Arthur's Disasters
The Klumpies
The Koala Brothers
Kratts' Creatures (2011-2012)
Lah-Lah's Adventures (2014-2018)
The Large Family (2014-2018)
Lark Rise to Candleford
The Legend of Dick and Dom
Leon
Leonardo
The Life of Birds
The Life of Mammals (2011-2014)
Lightning Point
Lilly the Witch
Little Britain
Little Princess
Lockie Leonard
Lunar Jim (2006-2013)
M.I. High
Madison
The Magic School Bus (2001-2002)
The Magician's House
Maid Marian and Her Merry Men (2001-2007)
The Make Shift
Me and My Monsters
Miami 7 (2004-2011)
The Mystery Files
The Mighty Boosh
Mighty Machines
Minuscule
Missy Milly
Mister Maker
Mofy
Molang
Moone Boy
Monty
Mortified
Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean: The Animated Series
My Hero
My Parents Are Aliens
Naked Chef (2007-2010)
Natural Born Hunters
Naturally, Sadie
Nelly and Nora
The New Adventures of Figaro Pho
Nico Can Dance (2015-2018)
Nina and the Neurons
No Sweat
Numberjacks
Nuzzle and Scratch (2011-2014)
Oddbods
Officially Amazing
Olive the Ostrich
Oliver's Twist (2008-2009)
Olliver's Adventures
Our Hero
Out There
Paddington
The Paradise
Party Mamas
Penny Crayon
Pingu
Pipsqueak's Planet
Planet Earth (2011-2018)
Postman Pat (2004-2009)
Popular Mechanics for Kids
Powers (2004-20??)
The Queen's Nose (2001-2007)
Radio Free Roscoe
Rank the Prank
Rastamouse (2012-2018)
Raven (2004-2014)
Ready Jet Go! (2016-2018)
Ready or Not
The Really Wild Show
Red Dwarf
Reel Late Movies
Robin Hood
Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood
The Roly Mo Show (2008-2011)
Rooms that Rock
Rotten Ralph
Roy
The Saddle Club
Sadie J
The Sarah Jane Adventures
The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
The Secret Show
Serious
Shaun the Sheep (2011-2018)
Shoebox Zoo (2006-2011)
Show Me Show Me (2011-2012)
Silverwing
The Sleepover Club
Smack the Pony
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Sorry I've Got No Head
Spider!
Spot Bots
Stacey Stone
Stig of the Dump
Stitch Up!
The Strangerers
Stuff (2001-2006)
Sumo Mouse (2010-2011)
Surprise! It's Edible Incredible!
Tales of the Riverbank
Tarzan
Theodore Tugboat
Thunderbirds
Timmy Time
Top of the Pops
Tots TV
Trapped!
Tree Fu Tom
Trigger Happy TV
The Tumblies
Tweenies (2001-2008)
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps
The Vicar of Dibley
Victor & Maria
Viva S Club (2004-2011)
Walk on the Wild Side
The Weakest Link
What Not to Wear
Who Let the Dogs Out?
Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
Wild and Weird
William's Wish Wellingtons
Woolly and Tig (2013-2014)
The Wonder Years (2008-2009)
The Worst Witch
Yakkity Yak
Yam Roll
Yoho Ahoy
Yoko
Young Dracula
The Young Ones
Zoo Diaries (2005-2008)
Zoobabu
CBeebies
3rd & Bird (2013-2017)
Baby Jake (2014-2016)
Bob the Builder (2012-2017)
Fireman Sam (Series 1-5 only) (2014-2018)
George Shrinks (2016-2018)
Go Jetters (2015-2017)
Little Robots (2004-2018)
Lunar Jim (2006-2013)
Mr Bloom's Nursery (2015-2017)
ZingZillas (2011-2012)
The Spot
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2006-2010)
Arthur (2006-2011)
Big Cook, Little Cook (2009-2011)
The Big Knights (2003-2011)
The Famous Jett Jackson (2006-2011)
BBCK
Bits and Bobs (2003-2010)
Captain Abercromby (2004-2005)
Connie the Cow (2001-2004)
Doctor Who (2001-2010)
Dude, That's My Ghost (2013-2017)
Fimbles (2003-2010)
Jar Dwellers SOS (2014-2017)
Jacob Two-Two (2013-2016)
Mona the Vampire (2012-2017)
Noonbory and the Super Seven (2009-2010)
Polka Dot Shorts (2001-2005)
Prank Patrol (2014-2017)
Ricky Sprocket Showbiz Boy (2013-2017)
Roboroach (2013-2017)
Round the Twist (2004-2007)
Space Cases (2001-2004)
Teletubbies (2001-2009)
Theodore Tugboat (2005-2009)
Thomas & Friends (2001-2009)
What About Mimi? (2012-2016)
The Wombles (2001-2005)
Zoboomafoo (2007-2010)
Programming blocks
CBeebies – The network's preschool block, debuted after the transition of control to Knowledge and airing in the morning; similar to the BBC original.
Cartoon Afternoons – The channel's afternoon block of animation.
Drama at 8 – A primetime block featuring family sitcoms and dramas.
BBCK – A block which aired from April 3, 2006 until the Knowledge transfer in the overnight period, focusing on programming for older teenagers, purposefully scheduled to appear as its own network a la the American Nick at Nite with its own website and continuity separate from BBC Kids.
The Spot – Aired from the network's debut until the Knowledge transfer as the network's block for pre-teen audiences from noontime until the start of BBCK on weekdays and in the mornings on weekends.
References
English-language television stations in Canada
Digital cable television networks in Canada
Children's television networks in Canada
Mass media in Burnaby
Defunct television networks in Canada
International BBC television channels
Television channels and stations established in 2001
Television channels and stations disestablished in 2018
2001 establishments in Canada
2018 disestablishments in Canada
Former Corus Entertainment subsidiaries
BBC Worldwide
Former Corus Entertainment networks
Defunct BBC television channels