Thames And BBC Joint Satellite Venture

Thames Television and BBC Enterprises have joined forces to launch a new satellite television channel that will be broadcast via the Astra Satellite.

The channel will be devoted to general entertainment using programmes from the libraries of the BBC and Thames. The companies have a combined resource of more than 60,000 hours of archive material.

Thames has been granted a non-domestic satellite service licence by the ITC and it is thought the channel will begin broadcasting later this year. It will be available to over 3m cable and satellite homes in the UK.

The ownership structure of the new venture is yet to be finalised but Thames and the BBC will each hold no more than 20%. Other investors are currently being sought.

It is the first new project to be announced by Thames since October when it lost its franchise.

Thames: 071 911 0033

BBC: 081 743 8000