BBC America was formed on May 1, 1981 as Lionheart Television International, Inc., a joint venture primarily consisting of Western World Television and Public Media, Inc. Lionheart took over the US distribution rights to the BBC's television output after a previous deal with Time-Life Television expired, as well as that of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The BBC eventually bought Lionheart outright by 1987, making it their North American distribution arm, which was renamed to "BBC America" in 1994, and later launched as a television channel in March 1998. In 2014, AMC Networks purchased a 49.9% stake in the company, replacing Discovery Inc. as the BBC's managing partner in the US.
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1st Logo (1994-1997) | 2nd Logo (1998-2001) | 3rd Logo (2001-2007) | 4th Logo (June 1, 2005-November 19, 2018) |
Visuals: Same as the 1992 BBC Video logo, except the words "WORLDWIDE AMERICAS" appear under the CGI version of the 1988 BBC logo.
Technique: Same as the 1992 BBC Video logo.
Audio: None.
Availability:
Visuals: The sequence starts with a closeup of the globe hot-air balloon seen on BBC One's UK idents from 1997 to 2002. Then, in a very quick flash, a box appears against a blue background. It contains footage of the same balloon over a river and to the right of a riverside building (which is the Eilean Donan castle in Scottish Highlands). Under the picture are the words "BBC (in the Box logo) AMERICA presents", and the "BBC AMERICA" part expands as the logo fades out.
Technique: A mix of live-action and computer animation by Lambie-Nairn.
Audio: A light piano tune that ends in a heavily reverberated note with the "flash". The tune itself is taken from one of the BBC One idents from between 1997 and 2002.
Availability:
Visuals: Inside a dark room, a silhouette of a woman is seen blowing red roses out of her hand. The screen then turns white with the left side of the screen being filled with a hazy blue/red blob. As the roses fully blow out, an air haze is seen, with what looks like a blurry United Kingdom flag (even waving as such). The BBC America logo appears at the bottom.
Technique: Live-action combined with computer effects by Telezign.
Audio: A techno tune with a soloist in the background.
Availability:
Visuals: On a dark cloudy background, there is the 1997 BBC logo along with the text "WORLDWIDE AMERICA" (with "WORLDWIDE" on top of "AMERICA") emerging from the clouds.
Variants:
Technique: CGI by WunderFilm.
Audio: A whoosh or the closing theme.
Availability:
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BBC America |
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