LONDON
BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the U.K. pubcaster, is shuttering two of its channels, BBC Entertainment and CBeebies, in India.
It said the webs were closing due to delays in digitization and the cost that cable platforms charge for carriage.
BBC World News would continue broadcasting in India.
Decision was taken by Mark Whitehead, senior VP and general manager, BBC Worldwide Channels Asia.
He said. “The decision to withdraw BBC Entertainment and CBeebies has not been an easy one; India is a dynamic and fast-growing media market, but remains uniquely challenging for pay TV channels.
“Specifically, delays in digitization and the need for channel operators to pay cable platforms for carriage makes the economics of running channels very challenging at this time.”
The webs will close at the end of November.
Worldwide has in the past laid great emphasis on the potential for growth in emerging markets like India.
