April 2, 2007

Upfront Watch: BBC America

By Shirley Brady

BBC America is refining and rebranding its primetime lineup in a move aimed at upfront advertisers and viewers alike. "We are undergoing a complete transformation—redefining the network and refocusing the schedule," said Garth Ancier, the recently appointed president of BBC Worldwide America, in a statement.

"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," Ancier added, referring to BBC World News' three-hour news block airing weekday mornings from 6:00-9:00am and hour-long evening newscast at 7pm ET.

The network announced acquisitions including MI-5 (formerly on A&E and known as Spooks in the UK), the long-running British youth soap Hollyoaks, Hotel Babylon, a new Jennifer Saunders comedy titled The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood plus new seasons of Hex, Life On Mars, and the new Doctor Who.

Starting in June, BBCA's primetime schedule will be divided into demographically-targeted and themed blocks. BBCA's new weeknight primetime schedule will be book-ended by police procedurals: Mystery Mondays is morphing into Murder Mondays (still home to Wire in the Blood, Murphy’s Law and other blood-soaked dramas) while The Underground, its edgy late-night Friday comedy (Black Books, Little England) and cult classic (The Avengers, The Prisoner) block is being replaced with Crime Scene Friday.

In between: Tuesday Nitro, aimed at men with "high-octane dramas" like MI-5 and reality series; Wicked Wednesday, racy soaps for the ladies with Footballers Wive$, Goldplated (a co-production with the BBC), Hotel Babylon (described on BBC's UK website as a peek at "the sexy world of the luxury hotel industry") and Sinchronicity; and Big Thursday, its outpost for outsized Brit personalities such as star chef Gordon Ramsay and talkshow host/comedian Graham Norton.

On weekends, BBC America will go head to head with SCI FI's Most Dangerous sci-fi movie block that launched in January. BBCA's upcoming Supernatural Saturday will feature science fiction and paranormal programming including a co-pro starring James Nesbitt (Murphy's Law) as a modern-day Jekyll; Torchwood, from the creators of Doctor Who, about contemporary investigators using sci-fi technology to solve crimes in alien and human worlds; and all-new seasons of the excellent Life on Mars, the new Doctor Who series and the witchy Hex.

Also coming to Saturday nights: a Comedy Saturday block that will feature series—such as The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, a BBC/BBCA co-pro starring Ab Fab's  Saunders—and stand-up specials with Dylan Moran and other comedians.

Family-friendly Adventure Sunday will feature teen drama Robin Hood (now shooting a second season) and Wild at Heart, about a family in the South African bush; followed in Sunday primetime by The Brit Movie, a weekly showcase of British cinema. Capping Sunday evenings at 10pm: BBC America Reveals, a weekly documentary slot "packed with intriguing tales from the real-life stories behind the headlines, celebrity profiles and Royal specials."

These out-with-the-old (shows and demos) changes may ruffle a few feathers in its hardcore and expat audience, who protested (loudly) five years ago when the EastEnders soap was dropped.

Ancier's programming moves eject some channel staples: the ribald Benny Hill Show; the campy 60's cult classics mentioned above; Britcoms including Are You Being Served?, Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By; and in another move sure to please PBS stations that carry many of these same classic British comedies, The Monty Python series.

In 1Q07, BBC America (now in 54 million homes) was up 7% in primetime and 9% total day over 2006 based on year on year delivery for its target demo: Adults 25-54.