BBC America Unveils New Schedule

NEW YORK, April 3: Garth Ancier, the recently installed
president of BBC Worldwide America, has revealed a new schedule for the BBC
America channel, featuring “demographically targeted programming blocks.”

“We are undergoing a complete transformation,” Ancier said,
“redefining the network and refocusing the schedule. From now on BBC America
will focus exclusively on bringing U.S. audiences the very best in contemporary
British programs—including a greater emphasis on our world-renowned news
coverage. Our new look schedule is packed with quality, original programming
and big name stars that reflect everything that’s exciting about modern Britain
today. And now they are presented in demographically targeted programming
blocks, designed to attract audiences and advertisers.”

The prime-time programming strategy features a different
block every night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Murder Mondays showcases scripted drama like Wire in the
Blood and Murphy’s Law. Tuesday Nitro targets males with action drama and reality TV; titles include Spooks and Ultimate Force. Wicked Wednesday focuses on females with series like Footballers’
Wives, Hotel Babylon, Goldplated and Sinchronicity. Big Thursday is all about huge characters with larger than life personalities,
among them Gordon Ramsay (Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay’s F Word) and Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show). Crime Scene Friday features the best in procedural crime, forensic and
legal drama, such as Whistleblower,
The Innocence Project, Silent
Witness and Waking the Dead. Supernatural Saturday features science fiction shows and titles about
paranormal events, among them Jekyll, Torchwood, Life on Mars, Hex and Doctor Who. Sundays feature The Brit Movie, a weekly movie slot, following Adventure Sunday at 7 p.m., focusing on family-friendly dramas like Robin
Hood and Wild at Heart.

Weeknights at 10 p.m. will skew towards young adult
audiences with series like Hollyoaks,
while Saturday nights at 10 p.m. will be home to comedies like The
Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle. Sunday
nights at 10 p.m. will house the weekly documentary slot Reveals.

The channel’s overhaul also includes expanded BBC World
coverage. BBC World News will air a three-hour news block each weekday morning and will also
air weeknights at 7 p.m.