Knowledge TV
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2012) |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Centennial, CO |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Jones International/Jones Media Group |
| Key people | Glenn R. Jones |
| History | |
| Launched | November 15, 1987 |
| Closed | 2000 |
| Former names | Mind Extension University |
Knowledge TV was a cable television channel owned by Jones Media Group that broadcast educational programming. The network was established on November 15, 1987[1] as Mind Extension University. At launch it partnered with Colorado State University and Annenberg Foundation. The network was openly broadcast, and students were charged tuition to obtain credit for the course. Students submitted homework and contacted instructors via telephone.[2] The following year, Washington State University, the University of Minnesota, Oklahoma State University, and SUNY/Empire State College also signed on.[3] Eventually, 30 colleges and universities partnered with Mind Extension.[4] Students submitted papers and assignments either by mail or fax. In 1993, Jones Media Group CEO Glenn R. Jones founded Jones International University (JIU) as a new all-online university. JIU achieved regional accreditation in 1999 but closed in 2015.
In late 1996,[5] the network was renamed Knowledge TV,[6] and by that time, it carried several programs dealing with new media and Silicon Valley businesses, including New Media News from KRON-TV in San Francisco, and many computer education programs such as Stewart Cheifet's Computer Chronicles. The network reached about 25 million subscribers, although many cable systems only carried the network part-time, using it to fill downtime on public access networks and late night paid programming blocks on networks such as Discovery Channel.
In 1999, Discovery Communications bought out Knowledge TV[7] and it was closed in 2000, as Discovery planned to give cable operators the option of converting the channel to Discovery Health.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Television & Cable Factbook (PDF) (Volume 63 ed.). Washington, DC: Warren Publishing. 1995. p. H-138. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "Old College Try" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine. November 23, 1988. p. 75. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Mind extension" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine: 64. September 26, 1988. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Jones Timeline | Jones International". www.jones.com. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
- ^ "Advertisement" (PDF). Broadcasting Magazine. October 14, 1996. p. 55. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ^ "Education Network Jumps Pond", Rebecca Cantwell, Rocky Mountain News, 31 January 1997, "Knowledge TV, formerly called Mind Extension University, is available to about...".
- ^ Dempsey, John (1999-06-18). "Discovery bulks up with Knowledge TV". Variety. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
- ^ "Discovery People Fades Out". Multichannel. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-11-17.