BBC World News trying to Break Into US Market! Call your Cable Company and Demand it!

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-bbc9jul09,1,4574000.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews&ctrack=1&cset=true
From the Los Angeles Times
BBC pursues U.S. exposure
The British broadcaster urges American viewers hungry for foreign news to demand availability of its World channel.
By Matea Gold
Times Staff Writer

July 9, 2007

NEW YORK — When it comes to reach, few news organizations rival that of the BBC, the venerable British broadcasting service recognized around the world for its no-nonsense newscasts delivered in crisp, clipped tones.

BBC World, the BBC's commercially funded, 24-hour television news channel, now attracts 76 million viewers a week from more than 200 countries, making it one of the biggest international news networks.

-Snip-


It remains to be seen whether the network's tactics will succeed in persuading the cable and satellite systems to add yet another channel to their crowded menus. Representatives of Comcast and Charter Communications would say only that they have had preliminary discussions with BBC World. Maureen Huff, a spokeswoman for Time Warner Cable, declined to comment on any negotiations, adding: "We're always interested in hearing from our customers, but these expensive programmer-run campaigns are generally not that effective."

BBC executives said they're under no illusions that getting carriage in the U.S. will easy.

"Largely because the cable systems are mature, this is a very difficult market to break into it," Sambrook said. "But it's an important one, both editorially and commercially."

In making its case, BBC World is stressing the network's reputation for impartiality.

"BBC's brand is objective news, based on fact," Sambrook said. "It's part of our editorial culture."

The network is hoping that will help it appeal to U.S. viewers discontented with American news outlets. To spotlight the dissatisfaction, BBC World released a national survey of American adults in late June by pollster Frank Luntz that found that 47% rate current coverage of international news as fair or poor. Almost two-thirds of cable subscribers said they would be interested in a 24-hour BBC channel. (Rival networks declined to comment on the poll's findings.)

The survey contradicts the "conventional wisdom in U.S. news organizations that Americans aren't so interested in the world," said Rome Hartman, a former CBS News producer who recently joined the BBC.

"I think that's less and less true," Hartman said. "It is by any measure a niche audience at the moment, but I think it's a growing niche."

Hartman, who until recently served as executive producer of "CBS Evening News With Katie Couric," is developing a one-hour evening newscast aimed at U.S. audiences that will run on both BBC America and BBC World, set to debut this fall. He said he envisions the program as a complement to the American network news programs.

"I can see people really hungry for news watching both," he said. "I think the American networks on their evening news do a good job. I think we did a great job. But this is going to give you a much more nutritious meal, night in and night out, of world events and trends than the American networks are able to provide."

The veteran producer said he doesn't fault his former employer or the other networks for not providing more foreign coverage.

TV. They have news and report from BBC. It is only like our regular newscast. But PBS has a half hour report from BBC.

I paid attention to an American evening "news" show. It's been years.

I would love it if my cable co. began running BBC News 24 hrs. We already have BBC on our local PBS radio and TV stations.

I would be interested in hearing the CBC too, but we don't have them.

and educational, something that is lacking greatly in our country.

...and a live half hour news programme in the evening...the difference between the BBC and the MSM news shows has to be seen to be believed....

I would LOVE to be to get the 24 hour news channel...

I also wish I could have it 24/7.

For one hour a day everything is hunky dory. ;)

would allow such an adventure as this. It doesn't matter what "we" want-it's more about what they want. With that being said I would embrace BBC world news.

they'll have to change their commercial/content ratio to a larger number.

/Sarcasm, or not? (I can get some BBC on C-band, but it's only on for short time windows: they seem to have very few commercials compared to our costly MSM)

Yeah, what broadcaster wouldn't want to be on a distribution network where they can sell air time for commercials, and also charge the customer to view! Kaching.

I would watch this channel

I'll get my BBC on the web

:shrug: I know that the little we get on PBS and NPR is better than anything here. But, I don't think that BBC is perfect, either. With Blair in charge and after Kelly was "suicided" BBC had their top management replaced. That said...given what's happened to CNN and forget MSNBC the Scandal/Crime Channel...(except for Olbermann) I'd think that BBC would be a great refreshment from what's now become unwatchable for many of us since the Bushco's came in.

Let's hope they get their wish.

:sarcasm:

They have a brochure that lists all their programming, and in evry language EXCEPT english you can get foreign programming/news..even Urdu...yet

english speakers must content themselves with the lame BBC-Usa which consists mainly of tacky make-over shows & unfunny sitcoms..

I have been after them forever to include the REAL BBC..the one that shows news..

I do set my PVR or watch International Dateline (Australia), DW (Germany..but broadcast from Brussels), and Mosaic (all over the middle east)..

It would be nice to watch the 24 hr BBC, though. We saw it when we were in Tahiti..and what a relief it was..

Even CNN-I (instead of the informecial we have here) would be a welcome addition.

via cable. It's inclusion on cable TV lineup would represent a quantum leap in quality over CNN et al, and force those other "news" outlets to clean up their acts and improve their quality.

for 30 minutes on PBS. BBC World is on for a couple of hours in the morning on BBC America, and then in the evening.

anywhere at the moment...

Why in the world would they turn to that asshat for a poll?
I hope DirecTV get's it. That would be great!