frequently asked questions

We are here to help our viewers and potential customers get the most from the channel.

Through the links below you might be able to get an instant answer to your problem or query, so look here first, but if not you will be able to get in touch with us for the answer or to give us your opinion of a programme or the channel, by clicking here.

1. Is BBC Entertainment available over the internet?

At present, the channel is not available on the internet. Although, we will continue to look into the possibility of making the channel available online and suggest you continue to check the website from time to time for more information.

2. How can I buy a copy of a programme I have seen on BBC Entertainment?

Not all programmes are commercially available. For more information on video/DVD availability, please speak to BBC Sales: bbcsales@galleon.co.uk / www.bbcshop.com or call them on +44 (0)870 600 7080. For many of the series being shown there are books and videos released by the programme-makers. You may like to check with a reputable High Street or online retailer for local availability.

3. I would really like to work for the BBC - how do I find out about employment opportunities? Can I send you my C.V.?

Please don't send your C.V. to us! We at BBC Entertainment can't help with enquiries about working at the BBC. When there are vacancies they are advertised in the most relevant newspapers and on the BBC's main website. For general information, advice and the latest vacancies, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/jobs.

4. Can you explain your repeat pattern?

Like all commercial channels in a multi-channel environment our channels will normally repeat programmes at a different time of the day and/or at weekends. This allows for people coming to the channel at different times of the day to still see a selection of our great programmes, or to catch up on shows that they might have missed. We schedule the first run of programmes at key times, usually in the evenings. We have made a considerable investment in programming for our Africa channels, there are thousands of hours of fresh content planned in the first year alone. Even with all those hours it is necessary to run series more than once. As the channels grow, we hope to bring an even higher percentage of new material every month.

5. What is the reason for including older programmes in the schedule?

For the majority of our viewers, this is the first chance to see these programmes, and often the only way to view them. However, it is likely that British people currently overseas will have already seen some of our programmes - but there is also plenty of fresh and recent programming on the channel.

6. Why can’t we get our favourite BBC shows on the BBC channels in Africa?

BBC Worldwide Channels are put together by an experienced group of programme schedulers who fill each day with the best programmes they believe our audiences will enjoy. We buy programmes from the BBC and other broadcasters. Sometimes, the rights to broadcast some programmes have already been sold to other broadcasters in Africa, and therefore the rights are not available for the BBC channels. Furthermore, BBC Worldwide must compete for programmes and pay a fair market rate to secure programme rights, and this includes the buying of BBC content. We always buy the best shows possible and have made a large investment in programmes for Africa.

7. Why are there advertisements in BBC programmes on the channels?

Unlike the BBC’s Public Service channels in the UK which are uniquely funded by the Licence Fee, BBC Worldwide’s channels are commercial. As with those structures operated by other commercial broadcasters, generating funding through advertising and share of subscription enables us to buy new content for our channels.

8. Why are there “promotional breaks” in programmes on the channels?

All programmes on our channels are edited for commercial breaks. The promotional breaks provide us with an opportunity to tell viewers about upcoming series or particular programming strands where commercials are not placed, while ensuring that the schedule runs to time. The number of promotions in between programmes will depend upon the length of the programme and the scheduled time for the next programme to appear.

9. Why do we see the same trailers again and again?

Our aim is to bring you the best programmes possible and we’re keen for viewers who come into the channel at different times of the day and night to know what we have available for them. Research also indicates that viewers need to see a trailer a number of times before they register with them. We work with audience feedback to identify key programmes that we think audiences would like and are careful not to over produce trailers in order to maximise what we spend on programming for the channels. That said, we do air a number of trailers to showcase the breadth of our output, so you should be seeing new things coming up, as well as trailers you’ve seen before.

10. Why are programmes interrupted mid-sentence for breaks? Why are programmes being cut off before the end?

When new channels launch, a large volume of programmes are delivered to play-out facilities. A small percentage had incorrect time-code references provided. All programmes are now being individually re-checked. We are rectifying this issue as quickly as possible and extend our sincere apologies to audiences for this inconvenience.

11. Why are programmes interrupted abruptly for breaks? Why are there breaks in programmes not designed for them?

Much of the content on BBC Worldwide’s Channels was originally made for the BBC or other broadcasters who do not carry commercial breaks in the UK and we therefore create these breaks for advertising purposes. We are doing some further work to see if, longer term, we can smooth the transitions into and out of programmes. We will always try to choose the best possible break points and follow the end of a programme part with a short item signalling the start of the break.

12. Where are the advertisements inserted?

The commercials are currently inserted by MultiChoice and their service provider in the UK. To facilitate this remote insertion of commercials, BBC Worldwide’s play-out provider embeds a trigger signal in the channels which can be detected by the MultiChoice equipment.

13. Why do advertisements seem to chop off the beginning or end of other items? Why do I keep seeing the time lapse of the people setting things up on a trestle table with trumpet music?

MultiChoice and BBC Worldwide have been working closely with each other and our service providers to urgently identify why this is happening. We believe that this is a technical problem that we’re working to eraidcate, and we apologise for the inconvenience to viewers this has caused.
With regards to the “filler” film that appeared on screen, this was designed as a ‘placeholder’ so that if the technology failed, viewers wouldn’t see a blank screen. We’ve now taken this off and if any technical fault should occur along the same lines (although clearly we hope it won’t), viewers will now see the channel graphic and the channel theme tune instead.

14. I’ve heard the channels are not run by the BBC or BBC Worldwide, but instead by another company. Is this true?

No. BBC Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC in the UK, owns and runs the channels BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle and Cbeebies available in Africa on the MultiChoice DSTV platform. BBC Worldwide acquires rights to broadcast programmes from the BBC and other broadcasters, creates the programme schedules, performs the necessary compliance process creates trailers and interstitial content and performs the media and presentation planning.

15. Why are swear words bleeped or muted when we have parental control on the DSTV platform?

At BBC Worldwide we must abide by our own editorial values and standards, one of the most important of these is that “we will not broadcast that might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of children”.
In the past this has meant that we removed extreme violence, scenes that could, if copied by a child, cause them harm, explicit sex and strong language from programmes that went out during the day.
At the time we had to do this because we could not be sure that the parental control system operating on DSTV was going to work in tandem with our own system of logging challenging content. We just couldn’t take the risk.
However we have since been reassured by the Chief Technical Officer at MultiChoice that the set top box parental control system will work with our ratings guidance so we have now started on the enormous task of creating only Prime time, post watershed, versions of all our programmes.
These will increasingly be used for daytime as well as evening and, so long as the parental control system continues to work, bleeping will be a thing of the past.
The very rare occasions will be when the bleep has been specially created by the producer of the original programme (this sometimes happens on Top Gear for example) and there is no other version available for us to work with.

16. Why are audio levels different between programmes, trailers and commercials?

We are working on a technical solution in addition to operational controls already in place to improve the varying audio levels; however some programmes are produced with an intentionally wide dynamic range which produces quiet scenes. Trailers and commercials are always the same level and will seem loud when they follow those programmes with a wide dynamic range or an intentionally quiet scene. We are looking for a solution to ease these transitions without affecting the mood of such programmes.

17. Why is the EPG sometimes showing the wrong programme? Why are programmes shown not always the ones advertised?

Unfortunately, there are times when a programme cannot be played due to either technical or scheduling issues. This is rare, but often very last-minute, which means there is little time to update the EPG. We will of course continue to make every effort to avoid any essential last-minute schedule changes and provide EPG updates in such circumstances.

18. I’ve heard that BBC Prime was played from South Africa not London, is this true?

Unlike the new channels, which are dedicated channels for Africa, BBC Prime was a pan-regional feed shown in many territories in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During daytime, the feed from London was shown in Africa while for a few hours in the evening schedule, MultiChoice would play a section of Africa-specific schedule.

19. Is BBC Entertainment just for Africa or is it shown elsewhere?

BBC Entertainment, BBC Lifestyle, BBC Knowledge and CBeebies on DSTV are created specifically for Africa, allowing us to respond to viewer feedback and suggestions on ways to improve our channel. The channel brands themselves exist all over the world - including Asia, Latin America and Europe. Each channel in each territory has a bespoke schedule which allows us to reflect the interests of viewers in that country, subject to us getting the rights to show that programme.

20. Why are programmes in the wrong aspect ratio? Why are the pictures the wrong shape? Why are there black bars at the sides or top and bottom of the screen?

Very rarely we experience human error in delivery of the programmes and widescreen programmes are delivered as “four by three” or “square” making the characters appear taller and thinner. We apologise for these rare instances. Separately, there are a few series of programmes which are delivered to us with a very slight problem with picture shape, not noticeable to most viewers. Examples include Fawlty Towers and As Time Goes By. Having investigated, these programmes have this fault on the master tape. While we have asked for corrected master tapes, we decided that a slight picture shape fault would not spoil your enjoyment of the programmes and that changing the schedule would cause disappointment.

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