Defunct television station run by the Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation
Television channel
Bop TVCountry |
Bophuthatswana (until 1994)
South Africa (1994-2003) |
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Broadcast area |
Bophuthatswana (until 1994)
South Africa (1994-2003) |
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|
Language(s) |
English |
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|
Owner | Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation |
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|
Launched | 31 December 1983; 40 years ago (31 December 1983) |
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Closed | 31 July 2003; 20 years ago (31 July 2003) |
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Bop TV was a television station owned by the Bophuthatswana Broadcasting Corporation, which operated from 1983 to 2003. Initially a part of the black homeland of
Bophuthatswana, the channel found its foothold by means of signal overspill, becoming an attractive alternative to the existing SABC and later M-Net channels. Following the end of Apartheid it was integrated to the
South African Broadcasting Corporation, after which it shut down.
History
Commencing operations in on 31 December 1983,
[1] it primarily transmitted imported programmes in an unedited form, allowing all comical references to black people to be aired. The station transmitted on the UHF band.
[2]
In the
apartheid era, a sizeable number of
white people watched Bop TV, which offered a wider variety of entertainment and current affairs programming than the state-controlled
South African Broadcasting Corporation, despite attempts to confine the signal to black areas such as
Soweto.
[3] It was strongly recommended that the signals were to be limited to areas with a high Tswana population. Unlike the two SABC networks available at the time (TV1 and in the case of eastern South Africa TV3), which broadcast on the VHF band, Bop TV broadcast exclusively over the UHF band (channel 37).
[4]Furthermore, both Bop TV and the SABC have set up a rule where both sides wouldn't broadcast opinions contrary to the opposite side. If Bop TV violated those laws, the SABC would shut down the network. Within three months of its founding, Bop TV rapidly overtook the SABC channels in terms of ratings.
[5]
[6] The channel was set up by Tim Ellis, who also assisted in the creation of the SABC's TV4 network (which went live after the 9pm closing time for both TV2 and TV3) and later
M-Net.
[7]
The signals were restricted to within Bophuthatswana in 1986 following the rapid success of its broadcasts by means of overspill to parts of South Africa; the restrictions were put to place after the
ITU recommended that the station considered as a "foreign broadcaster" in South Africa. There, the overspill was limited to
Soweto and
Pretoria.
[8] Bop TV started satellite broadcasts in 1988,
[9] using a satellite from the Intelsat IV fleet for that purpose.
[10] The channel was even carried in the early years of cable television in
Israel,
[11] being removed over concerns due to its American imports and the refusal of the Israeli cable companies to pay for its reception.
[12]
By 1990, Bop TV was received by some 350,000 television sets in its coverage area, for a daily schedule of nine hours. The channel was already interested in buying new series such as
The Simpsons (before even premiering on
M-Net
[13]) and
The Arsenio Hall Show, but the prices for such were expensive. Its executives were in screening sessions from numerous production companies, including American juggernauts.
[8]
A post-apartheid reshuffling of the SABC in 1996 resulted in the former
bantustan broadcasters being integrated into it.
[14]
[15] This infuriated the bosses of Bop Broadcasting.
[16]
[17]
In 1997, the State Reorganisation Act led to the creation of subsidies for the former bantustan broadcasters that were now under the SABC's control. The said subsidy ended in November 2001. From now onward, the SABC was now funding Bop Broadcasting in its entirety.
[18] In 2003, the SABC announced that they would shut the channel down on 31 July.
[19]
List of programmes
Domestic
Music
Lifestyle
Children's
Sports
Horse racing
News & current affairs
Talk shows
Drama
Game show
Education
Foreign
Comedy
Anthology
Western
News
Drama
- United States
21 Jump Street
- United Kingdom
99-1
- United States, Mexico
Acapulco Bay
- Canada, France, New Zealand
The Adventures of the Black Stallion
- United Kingdom
All Creatures Great and Small
- Australia
Bailey's Bird
- United Kingdom
The Barbara Vine Mysteries
- United States
Barnaby Jones
- Australia
Barrier Reef
- Canada
The Beachcombers
- United Kingdom
Bergerac
- United Kingdom
Between the Lines
- United States, Canada
Beyond Reality
- United States
The Big Easy
- Australia
Blue Heelers
- United Kingdom
Body & Soul
- Australia
Bony
- Canada, France
Bordertown
- Australia
Breakers
- United Kingdom
The Broker's Man
- United Kingdom
The Buddha of Suburbia
- Australia
Burned Bridge
- Canada
Catwalk
- United Kingdom
Chandler & Co
- United Kingdom
Christabel
- Australia
Come In Spinner
- United Kingdom
Connie
- Canada, France
Counterstrike
- United Kingdom
Cracker
- United States
Crime Story
- United Kingdom
Crocodile Shoes
- Australia
Cyclone Tracy
- Canada
Danger Bay
- United Kingdom
Danger UXB
- United Kingdom
Dangerfield
- United States
Dangerous Curves
- United Kingdom
The Duchess of Duke Street
- United States, Canada
Due South
- Australia
The Dunera Boys
- United Kingdom
Edge of Darkness
- United States
Eleanor and Franklin
- Canada
Emilie
- Canada
E.N.G.
- United Kingdom
Firm Friends
- United States
The Flash
- Australia
A Fortunate Life
- United Kingdom
Fortunes of War
- Australia
G.P.
- United States
Gavilan
- United Kingdom
The Ginger Tree
- United Kingdom
Gone to the Dogs
- Mexico, United States
The Guilt
- United States
Hardcastle and McCormick
- United States
Hawkeye
- United Kingdom, Australia
The Heroes
- United States
Holocaust
- United Kingdom
The House of Eliott
- United Kingdom
Howards' Way
- United States
In the Heat of the Night
- United States
Ironside
- United Kingdom
The Invisible Man
- New Zealand
Jackson's Wharf
- United States
Jessie
- United States
JFK: Reckless Youth
- United Kingdom, United States
Kennedy
- United States
Knight Rider
- Australia
Land of Hope
- United Kingdom
The Legend of King Arthur
- United Kingdom
Lytton's Diary
- United Kingdom
Love Hurts
- United States
Manions of America
- Australia
The Man from Snowy River
- New Zealand
Marlin Bay
- United States
Miami Sands
- United States
The Mod Squad
- United Kingdom
My Family and Other Animals
- Canada
North of 60
- United States
One West Waikiki
- United Kingdom
The Onedin Line
- United States
The Outsiders
- Australia
Pacific Drive
- United Kingdom
A Perfect Spy
- Australia
Police Rescue
- United Kingdom
The Professionals
- United States
Quantum Leap
- United States
Q.E.D.
- United States
Rags to Riches
- United Kingdom
Rescue
- United Kingdom
Rides
- United States
The Rockford Files
- United States
Roots
- United States
Roots: The Next Generations
- Canada
Scoop
- Australia
Seven Deadly Sins
- New Zealand
Shark in the Park
- United Kingdom
Shine on Harvey Moon
- Canada
Side Effects
- United Kingdom
Silas Marner
- United Kingdom
Sloggers
- United States
Star Trek: Deep Space 9
- United States
Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Canada
Street Legal
- United States
The Streets of San Francisco
- United States
Supercarrier
- United States
Supertrain
- United States
Swamp Thing
- United States
Swans Crossing
- Australia
Sword of Honour
- United Kingdom
Tender Is the Night
- United States
Thunder in Paradise
- United States
Tour of Duty
- United Kingdom
To Play the King
- Canada
Tropical Heat
- Canada
T. and T.
- United States
Veronica Clare
- United States
Walker Texas Ranger
- United States
Wiseguy
- United States
The Women of Brewster Place
- United States
The Wonder Years
- United Kingdom
Wycliffe
- United Kingdom
Wynne and Penkovsky
- United States
Zorro
Sports
Music
Lifestyle
Soap opera
Variety
Documentary
Food
News
Education
Travel
Animation
Children's
- United Kingdom
50/50
- United States
Adventures from the Book of Virtues
- Australia
The Adventures of Skippy
- United States
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
- United States, Japan
The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
- Japan
The Adventures of the Little Prince
- France, Canada
The Adventures of Tintin
- Australia
Adventures on Kythera
- United Kingdom, France, Canada
Albert - the 5th Musketeer
- Japan, Netherlands
Alfred J. Kwak
- United Kingdom
The Alphabet Game
- United States, Germany, Canada
Amazing Tails
- United States
Animal Miracles
- United Kingdom, France
The Animals of Farthing Wood
- Spain
The Authentic Adventures of Professor Thompson
- France, Canada
Babar
- Spain
Basket Fever
- United States
Batman: The Animated Series
- Canada
BB and Jennifer
- United States
Biker Mice from Mars
- United States, Canada
Beetlejuice
- United Kingdom
Belfry Witches
- United States, Australia
The Berenstain Bears
- United Kingdom
Bertha
- New Zealand
Betty's Bunch
- United States
Beverly Hills Teens
- Canada
The Big Comfy Couch
- Canada, France, Belgium, Germany
Billy the Cat
- United Kingdom
The Biz
- France
Bob Morane
- United Kingdom
Bod
- Canada
Bookmice
- United Kingdom
The Borrowers
- United Kingdom
The Box of Delights
- United Kingdom
Breakpoint
- United Kingdom
The Brollys
- Canada
Brownstone Kids
- Australia
Boffins
- France, United States
Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars!
- Hungary
The Bunny with the Checkered Ears
- United States
C Bear and Jamal
- Australia
c/o The Bartons
- Canada
Camp Cariboo
- United States
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
- United States, Canada
Care Bears
- United Kingdom
Century Falls
- United Kingdom
Charlie Chalk
- New Zealand
Children of Fire Mountain
- Japan
Choppy and the Princess
- United Kingdom
The Chronicles of Narnia
- United States
Conan and the Young Warriors
- United States, France, Canada
Conan the Adventurer
- United Kingdom
The Country Boy
- United Kingdom
Count Duckula
- United States
Critter Gitters
- France
Cupido [
fr]
- Australia
The Curiosity Show
- Canada
Curse of the Viking Grave
- United Kingdom, Canada
Cyberkidz
- United Kingdom
Dappledown Farm
- Australia, New Zealand, France
Deepwater Haven
- France
Delfy and His Friends
- United States, France
Dennis the Menace
- United States, France
Denver, the Last Dinosaur
- Spain
Detective Bogey
- Australia
The Digswell Dog Show
- United States
Dink, the Little Dinosaur
- United States
Dino-Riders
- United Kingdom, Netherlands
Doctor Snuggles
- United States, France
Dragon Flyz
- Canada
Eric's World
- Australia
Escape from Jupiter
- United Kingdom
Eye of the Storm
- United States
The Fabulous Reggae Dogs
- United Kingdom
The Famous Five
- Australia
Fat Cat and Friends
- Wales
Fireman Sam
- United Kingdom
Five Children and It
- Canada
The Forest Rangers
- New Zealand
The Flying Kiwi
- United States
Flying, Trying and Honking Around
- Canada
F.R.O.G.
- New Zealand
Gather Your Dreams
- Japan
G-Force
- United States
G.I. Joe Extreme
- Australia, United Kingdom
The Genie from Down Under
- United States
Gerbert
- United States, France
The Get Along Gang
- Australia
The Girl from Tomorrow
- Australia
Glad Rags
- United Kingdom
Gran
- Italy
The Great Book of Nature
- United States
The Great Space Coaster
- United Kingdom
Gumdrop
- United Kingdom
Haunting of Cassie Palmer
- Australia
Haydaze
- Canada
Hello Mrs. Cherrywinkle
- United Kingdom
Henry's Cat
- United States
Here Comes the Grump
- Australia
Hills End
- Australia
Hot Science
- United States
The Houndcats
- Canada
Huckleberry Finn and His Friends
- United States
Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling
- United States, United Kingdom, Scotland
Hurricanes
- United States
Incredible Dennis the Menace
- United States, Japan
Inhumanoids
- Canada
Inquiring Minds
- United Kingdom
Jack in the Box
- United States, United Kingdom
The Jackson 5ive
- United States
James Bond Jr.
- United States
Jay Jay the Jet Plane
- United States
Jim Henson's Animal Show
- United States
Jem
- Italy
Jesus: A Kingdom Without Frontiers
- Australia
Johnson and Friends
- Japan
Jungle Book Shōnen Mowgli
- Australia
Kaboodle
- United Kingdom
Kevin's Cousins
- Australia
Kids Down Under
- United States
Kids TV
- United States
The Kid-a-Littles
- Japan
Kimba the White Lion
- United States
Laurel and Hardy
- United States
The Legend of Prince Valiant
- France, Canada
The Legend of White Fang
- Croatia, Canada
The Little Flying Bears
- Canada, United States
Little Rosey
- United Kingdom
Little Sir Nicholas
- Canada
The Littlest Hobo
- Canada
Look Up
- Canada
The Magic Library
- France
Marsupilami
- Canada
Mathica's Mathshop
- Canada
The MAXimum Dimension
- Japan
Medabots
- Australia
The Miraculous Mellops
- Australia, New Zealand
Mirror, Mirror
- Australia
More Winners
- United States
Mother Nature: Tales of Discovery
- Canada
Music Box
- Canada, United States
My Pet Monster
- United States
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
- United States, Japan
The New Adventures of Speed Racer
- United Kingdom, Canada, United States
Noddy in Toyland
- United Kingdom
Oasis
- Canada
The Odyssey
- United States
Old MacDonald's Sing-A-Long Farm
- Canada
Panda Bear Daycare
- United Kingdom
Panic Station
- United States
Pee-wee's Playhouse
- United Kingdom
Penny Crayon
- United States
Pigasso's Place
- United Kingdom
Pirates
- Italy
Pocahontas
- Canada
Polka Dot Door
- Yugoslavia, Croatia
Professor Balthazar
- Australia
Pugwall
- Australia
Pugwall's Summer
- United States
The Puppy's New Adventures
- United States
The Puzzle Place
- Canada
Ramona
- United States
Rambo: The Force of Freedom
- United States
The Real Ghostbusters
- United Kingdom
The Really Wild Show
- United States, Canada
ReBoot
- France
Redbeard
- Germany
Renada
- United Kingdom
The Return of the Psammead
- Canada
Return to the Magic Library
- United States
Rimba's Island
- United Kingdom
Rosie and Jim
- Australia
Round the Twist
- Canada
Ruffus the Dog
- United Kingdom, Canada, France
Rupert
- Japan, United States
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
- Canada
Scoop and Doozie
- Canada, France
Sea Dogs
- United Kingdom
The Secret Garden
- United States
Sesame Street
- France, Canada
Sharky & George
- New Zealand
The Shelly T. Turtle Show
- Italy
Simba the Lion King
- United Kingdom
Simon and the Witch
- Australia
Simon Townsend's Wonder World
- Austria, Germany
Simsala Grimm
- United States
Skeleton Warriors
- United States, France
Sky Dancers
- United States, Japan
Skysurfer Strike Force
- France
Small Stories
- Canada, France
The Smoggies
- United States, Belgium
The Smurfs
- United States, Belgium
Snorks
- United Kingdom
Sooty & Co.
- France
Spartakus & the Sun Beneath the Sea
- Australia, Poland
Spellbinder
- United States
Spiral Zone
- United Kingdom
Spooks of Bottle Bay
- New Zealand
Star Runner
- United States, Canada
Star Wars: Droids
- United States, Canada
Star Wars: Ewoks
- United States, United Kingdom, France
Stone Protectors
- Russia, United States
Stories From My Childhood
- Japan
The Story of Cinderella
- United Kingdom
Streetwise
- United States
Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad
- Canada
T. and T.
- United Kingdom
Tales from Bledlow Ridge
- United Kingdom, Canada
Tales of the Riverbank
- United States
Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills
- United States
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- United Kingdom
Terrahawks
- Japan, United States
The Transformers
- Spain
The Triplets
- South Korea, United States
Twinkle, the Dream Being
- United States
The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat
- United Kingdom
Uncle Jack
- France, Japan
Ulysses 31
- Australia
Wonder World!
- United States
Vid Kids
- United States
Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
- Canada
Waterville Gang
- United Kingdom
Wavelength
- United Kingdom
Who Sir? Me Sir?
- United States
Wide World of Kids
- United States, South Korea
Widget the World Watcher
- France, United Kingdom
The Wild Bunch
- United Kingdom
The Wild House
- Australia
Winners
- United Kingdom, New Zealand
Worzel Gummidge Down Under
- Canada, France
Zoe and Charlie
Video games
Talk shows
Sci-fi
TV specials
Reality
Game shows
Telefilms
TV movies
References
External links