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29 October 2014
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ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide Press Releases



07.10.02

UK History - UKTV joint venture fully approved by DCMS


ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide confirmed today that, contrary to recent press reports, UK History forms part of a joint venture which has been fully approved by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).


Unlike the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s public service channels, which are funded by the licence fee, the Secretary of State's approval is not required for each commercial channel launched by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide under their joint ventures with Telewest.


Reports have suggested that the US-backed History Channel has claimed that the joint venture is limited in the number of commercially-backed channels that it can launch; also that such channels are only approved as pay to view channels which can only be viewed on pay to view platforms.


On 14 November 2000, DCMS approval was granted for further and separate joint ventures between ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide and Telewest, in addition to the 1997 approval for the original JVs.


The November 2000 approval did not set any limit on the number of channels that the joint venture could subsequently launch and it is under this joint venture that UK History and UK ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½Style will launch.


Nor did that approval restrict UKTV channels to appearing on pay to view platforms only. The original approval by DCMS and the further approval in November 2000 both allow for the UKTV channels to appear on all television, satellite and cable platforms. UK History will also be shown on all platforms.


Notes to Editors


UKTV is a joint venture between ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide and Flextech/Telewest.


The commercial operations of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide are operated separately from the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide receives no direct or indirect subsidy from the Corporation.


Programming supplied to UK History by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide will be provided under programme licensing arrangements on arm's length commercial terms.


With the addition of UK History, the UKTV family of channels also includes UK Style, UK Gold, UK Gold 2, UK Drama, UK Horizons and UK Food.


The original DCMS approval in April 1997 for the joint venture between ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide and Flextech (Flextech was subsequently acquired by Telewest) was for up to seven new commercial tv channels.


UK History is shortly to be launched under the UKTV joint venture between ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide and commercial partners Telewest. It will appear on the digital television platform, , and on other television cable and satellite platforms.






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