BBC Learning Zone

The BBC Learning Zone was an educational strand run by the BBC as an overnight service on BBC Two. It shows programming aimed at students in Primary, Secondary and Higher Education and to adult learners. Viewers are encouraged to watch programmes after the original broadcast via the use of, originally VHS, currently DVD. In 2015, the BBC confirmed that due to budget cuts, the service would no longer be running.

The BBC Learning Zone was launched as The Learning Zone on 9 October 1995, as an extension service of BBC Two, to free up more of their schedule. Previously, these educational programmes had been based on the channel in mornings and often until the early afternoon on weekdays. However, following the channel's rebranding to the '2' idents and the increased viewer perception that resulted from it, the channel was anxious to use more of their daytime for different programming. The Learning Zone was the solution to this problem.

The idea had been around for a while: by 1995 both ITV and Channel 4 were operating as 24-hour channels, freeing up their prime time and daytime schedules. The BBC had also had a go at producing specialist television overnight by launching BBC Select. This service played out encrypted programming for the professions (Doctors, Lawyers etc.) overnight between 1992 and 1994.

In 1997, when the BBC rebranded, The Learning Zone was renamed BBC Learning Zone, became a separate strand of programming in its own right and became independent of BBC Two. The service would begin after BBC Two's closedown and transfer to Pages from Ceefax, with the service beginning at 12.30am until 7.00am (3.00-5.00am Fridays and Saturdays). In 2004 the service started at 2am every day and continuing until approximately 6am when programming on BBC Two would begin, however this was not always the case. The service then ran between 4am and 6am, and usually did not operate when schools were not open (Summer, Easter Holidays etc.).

In 2015, the BBC confirmed that 'due to budget cuts', the service would be no longer be running on BBC Two. Instead, it was said to be moving online on the BBC Education website. The final BBC Learning Zone aired in the early hours of 24 July 2015.

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