Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 20:42, 7 July 2014

{{Infobox TV channel| | name = The Bio Channel | logosize = 200px | logofile = The Biography Channel.svg | logoalt = | launch = January 1, 1999 | closed date = July 7, 2014 | slogan = | picture format = 720p (HDTV)
480i (SDTV) | share = | share as of = | share source=| | owner = A+E Networks
(Hearst Corporation (50%), Disney–ABC Television Group (50%)) | country = United States | broadcast area = United States, Canada, Southeast Asia | language = English | headquarters = Newark, New Jersey, United States | former names = The Biography Channel | replaced names = | replaced by names = [[FYI | sister names = A&E
History
H2
Lifetime
Lifetime Movie Network
Lifetime Real Women
Military History | web= www.biography.com | sat serv 1 = Dish Network | sat chan 1 = 119 (HD/SD) | sat serv 2 = DirecTV | sat chan 2 = 266 (HD/SD) | sat serv 3 = C-Band - H2H/4DTV | sat chan 3 = AMC 18 - Channel 201 | cable serv 1 = Available on many U.S. cable providers | cable chan 1 = Check local listings for channels | cable serv 2 = Verizon FiOS | cable chan 2 = 629 (HD)
129 (SD) | adsl serv 1 = AT&T U-verse | adsl chan 1 = 1272 (HD)
272 (SD) }}

The Biography Channel (abbreviated bio.) is an American digital cable and satellite television channel that is owned by A+E Networks, a joint venture between the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company and the Hearst Corporation. The channel is an off-shoot of the long-running series Biography, which previously aired on sister network A&E.

As of August 2013, The Biography Channel is available to approximately 68,007,000 pay television households (59.55% of households with television) in the United States.

In December 2013, A+E Networks announced that The Biography Channel will be rebranded as FYI, a contemporary lifestyle network, on July 7, 2014.

History

The Biography Channel launched by A&E Networks in January 1999 as a spin off of the Biography series. In addition to biographical shows, the network has been airing fictional, non-biographical programming previously seen on A&E, including Murder, She Wrote and Sherlock Holmes, though this practice ended in 2007.

By August 2006, The Biography Channel became the exclusive home for the Biography series, which was also dropped by A&E. On July 16, 2007, The Biography Channel unveiled a new logo, a new tagline ("True Story") and revamped its on-air look and feel. Although the channel's new nick name is "Bio", the Biography Channel name is still in use in various areas as its official name.

The channel has been stagnating since before A+E’s 2013 upfront presentation as little focus was place upon it. For 2013, Bio was generating 12 cents per subscribers from the video providers which is half the industry average. After tweaking the three main A+E channels, Bio averaged viewers of 91,000 adults 25-54 in prime compared to what A&E (716,000) and History (703,000) managed over the same period.

In December 2013, A+E Networks announced The Biography Channel would be rebranded as FYI on July 7, 2014. In late June of 2014, promos for B.O.R.N To Style, one of FYI's first original shows, revealed it's first bumper designs and slogan for it, "FYI: Your Inspiration Network." The Biography Channel itself, other than airing the commercials, did close to nothing to promote the rebrand, not even on it's website, other than airing commercials for the first program as FYI, which will be a preview special of its first original series. The day of the rebrand, the Bio logo still appeared, but so did the FYI logo, with a countdown timer, saying "FYI Preview Begins XX:XX:XX". Currently, the last program on Bio. will be an episode of Kitchen Nightmares at 8PM. At 9PM, Bio. will officially rebrand as FYI, with the first program on FYI being a preview special known as FYI: A First Look.

Programming

• Alien Encounters
• Biography
• Gangsters: America's Most Evil
• Ghost Bait
• Haunted History
• Mobsters
• Sell This House!
• "Food Factory"
• "Celebrity House Hunting"

International services

Local versions of the channel also airs in the following countries:

• Australia: Bio.
• Canada: The Biography Channel (Canada)
• Pan-Asia: Bio. (South East Asia)

Local and regional versions are also seen in Israel, Italy, Germany and Latin America. The Latin American version airs the same programming and has the same logo from the U.S. version. It is controlled by Time Warner's HBO Latin America Group under the license of A&E Networks.

The channel also had UK edition, which has since replaced by Lifetime UK.

References

1. www.barb.co.uk
2. Seidman, Robert (August 23, 2013). "List of How Many Homes Each Cable Networks Is In - Cable Network Coverage Estimates As Of August 2013". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
3. Bibel, Sara (May 27, 2014). "FYI Unveils Primetime Lineup For July Premiere". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Retrieved May 27, 2014.
4. Kondolojy, Amanda (February 26, 2014). "FYI Greenlights Six Series and Two Pilots to Production". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
5. Andreeva, Nellie (December 11, 2013). "A+E Networks' Bio Renamed FYI As It Converts Into Lifestyle Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
6. Bibel, Sara (December 11, 2013). "A+E Networks Rebranding Bio Channel as New Network 'FYI'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
7. Nededog, Jethro (December 11, 2013). "A&E Networks Rebranding Bio Channel to Lifestyle Channel FYI". The Wrap. The Wrap News Inc. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
8. Zeitchik, Steven (January 16, 2007). "Shatner to interview celebrities". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
9. Thielman, Sam (December 11, 2013). "Bio to Rebrand as FYI, a 'Contemporary Lifestyle' Network". Ad Week. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
10. Bibel, Sara (May 27, 2014). "FYI Unveils Primetime Lineup For July Premiere". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Retrieved May 27, 2014.
11. Kondolojy, Amanda (February 26, 2014). "FYI Greenlights Six Series and Two Pilots to Production". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
12. Andreeva, Nellie (December 11, 2013). "A+E Networks' Bio Renamed FYI As It Converts Into Lifestyle Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
13. Goldberg, Lesley (December 11, 2013). "A+E Rebrands Bio as Lifestyle Network FYI". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
14. Poggi, Jeanine (December 11, 2013). "A&E Rebrands Bio Channel as FYI, a Broad Lifestyle Network". Ad Age. Crain Communications. Retrieved July 7, 2014.

External links

• Official website
• The Biography Channel Australia
• The Biography Channel Canada
• The Biography Channel Germany
• The Biography Channel Israel
• The Biography Channel Asia

• Television channels and stations established in 1999
• English-language television stations in the United States
• Walt Disney Company subsidiaries
• The Biography Channel shows
• A+E Networks