BBC Earth (formerly named Rush HD and radX) is a
Canadian discretionary service
A discretionary service is a Canadian specialty channel which, as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, may be carried optionally by all subscription television providers. It replaces the previous category A ...
channel owned by
Blue Ant Media. The brand and much of its programming is licensed from
BBC Studios, a subsidiary of the
BBC that wholly owns the
BBC Earth brand. The channel broadcasts factual programming related to natural history and wildlife.
History
In April 2006, John Panikkar (co-founder of the channel's original owner,
High Fidelity HDTV), was granted a licence by the
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; french: Conseil de la radiodiffusion et des télécommunications canadiennes, links=) is a public organization in Canada with mandate as a regulatory agency for broadcasti ...
(CRTC) to launch ''AHD'' (for ''Adrenaline HD''), described as "a national, English-language Category 2 high definition (HD) specialty programming undertaking... that would focus on the impact of high definition imagery on high-octane, limit-defying human activity and adventure that tests individual personal limits, both physical and mental."
The channel launched on September 5, 2006 as Rush HD, with its name, and much of its programming, licensed from
Rainbow Media, the owners of the
Voom HD Networks, owners of the original Rush HD-branded channel in the United States.
Like its American counterpart, Rush HD originally broadcast programming largely focused on
high adventure and
extreme sports such as
snowboarding
Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympi ...
,
windsurfing,
bungee jumping
Bungee jumping (), also spelled bungy jumping, is an activity that involves a person jumping from a great height while connected to a large elastic cord. The launching pad is usually erected on a tall structure such as a building or crane, a ...
, and
cliff diving. Over a year after the American version shut down, Rush rebranded as radX on August 23, 2010. With the rebrand, programming was expanded to include a broader range of action-related programming such as feature films, outdoor lifestyle, travel, reality television, and other programming aimed primarily at men.
On December 21, 2011, radX's parent company, High Fidelity HDTV, announced that it had entered into an agreement to be purchased outright by Blue Ant Media, majority owners of
Glassbox Television and minority owners of Quarto Communications. While initially purchasing 29.9% of the company, the remaining 70.1% was purchased after it was approved by the CRTC.
In December 2016, Blue Ant Media announced that it had reached an agreement with
BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetises BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadcas ...
to rebrand radX as BBC Earth in January 2017,
later confirmed officially as January 23, 2017.
BBC EARTH UNVEILS PROGRAMMING LINE-UP FOR CANADIAN LAUNCH ON JANUARY 24
Blue Ant Media press release 01 10 17 Blue Ant Media has had a history of partnerships with the BBC, while its CEO Michael MacMillan assisted in launching the BBC Canada channel whilst working for Alliance Atlantis. BBC Worldwide North America president Ann Sarnoff remarked that Blue Ant Media had a strong interest in factual programming, and that the timing of the launch would coincide with the then-upcoming North American premiere of '' Planet Earth II''.
References
External links
BBC Earth website
{{BBC Television
Blue Ant Media channels
Television channels and stations established in 2006
Digital cable television networks in Canada
English-language television stations in Canada
International BBC television channels