CalaClassic boosts BBC content
May 4, 2017
By Chris Forrester
The CalaClassic Channel, which beams a pay-TV service to the Caribbean region, has almost doubled the amount of BBC content available to viewers. CalaClassic is distributed by LORAC Communications.
An initial deal, signed in February 2016, saw some 700 hours of BBC-Worldwide material licensed to CalaClassic in a deal arraigned by Vivicast Media through LORAC. Vivicast has now expanded that deal to encompass more than 1000 hours of classic BBC comedies, drama series and factual entertainment.
“This new agreement expands considerably the presence of BBC Worldwide’s content throughout the Caribbean and underscores the enormous popularity that British content has in this region of the world,” said Anna Gordon, EVP/MD, BBC Worldwide Latin America/US Hispanic. “We are confident that this kind of agreement will soon contribute to expand the presence of the BBC brand to all platforms in the Caribbean, including Pay TV, video streaming and open television.”
“Viewer response to our BBC line-up has been outstanding, and we are excited to expand the portfolio of high-profile BBC productions as part of the regular CalaClassics schedule,” said Executive Producer, Tony Marchand.
“We are pleased to finalize an agreement with BBC Worldwide resulting in the expansion of the renowned BBC library to The CalaClassic Channel, which continues to serve as outstanding broadcast home in the Caribbean territories for BBC’s extraordinary library of classic series programming,” said Stuart Smitherman, president of Vivicast Media.
New series added to the existing agreement include classic comedy series such as Chef (S1-3), which exposes audiences to the harsh realities of restaurant management; My Hero (S1-4), which depicts the adventures of an alien superhero who falls in love with a nurse from Earth; and Friday Night Dinner (S 1-4), a truly original series about growing up but not growing away. The deal also includes factual series like the wildly popular motor series Top Gear (S2-8), and hit drama Upstairs Downstairs (S 1-2), one of the most beloved of all times, as well as special episodes of the classic BBC series, Doctor Who.
These and other titles will air on CalaClassics in territories including the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Martin, and Trinidad and Tobago.