Knowledge Network
Knowledge (stylized as K:), formerly Knowledge Network, is a Canadian English language public educational television network in the province of British Columbia. It is owned by the Knowledge Network Corporation, a provincial crown corporation, and began broadcasting on January 12, 1981.
It is distributed on cable 5 in the Vancouver area and is available on cable systems throughout British Columbia. Knowledge's broadcast license is for satellite-to-cable programming only, although it also broadcasts over-the-air in remote locations throughout British Columbia where local volunteers maintain repeater sites where cable television is not available. The network is also available on the Bell TV satellite service, on channel 268, and on Shaw Direct channel 354.
Knowledge receives funding both from the British Columbia government and from public donations.
On September 28, 2008 Knowledge Network was re-branded as Knowledge.
Contents
Overview
Knowledge is British Columbia's public educational broadcaster and is required to be distributed as part of the basic cable service in British Columbia.
When Knowledge first signed on in 1981, its broadcast schedule originally ran from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. In later years, it broadcast from 06:55 a.m.-Midnight until July 2007, when programming hours were expanded to 06:00 a.m.-01:00 a.m. In late 2007, Knowledge Network began changing its logo from the green tree to its new wordmark logo, and as of June 2008 the green tree logo has been removed. The channel is currently a 24-hour broadcaster.
The network obtains an average of 1.5 million viewers, or over one-third of British Columbians per week. Currently, within the province, the station holds the number one position on weekday mornings for kids age two to six. Also, it has experienced an increase in viewers age 29 to 49 for its prime time programs. As well, it continues to maintain its popularity with viewers age 55+ for daytime and weekend viewing.
In its programming, Knowledge covers a full range of topics including politics, history and culture, arts and music, health, parenting, and science.
With funding from the provincial government and over 26,000 donor households, Knowledge acquires and commissions over 750 hours of original programming per year.
Due to changes in its business plan, Knowledge no longer produces its own unique style of programming. Instead it obtains programming from other sources.
