The Department for Education and Skills is investing £1m in a pilot project for the service, and says that it would not rule out running advertising on the station to help cover the costs of the channel -- although it did not forsee a time when the station was fully funded by advertising.
Starting in February, the channel will test programming to audiences of teachers. If it proves a success, then the channel will broadcast 18 hours of programming a day, starting next autumn.
The station is to be run by a consortium calling itself Educational Digital, comprising the production company Brook Lapping, Carlton Communications and London University's Institute of Education. Nigel Dacre is chief executive of Educational Digital.
Programming is likely to include fly-on-the-wall documentaries on talented teachers, against-the-odds stories about how teachers and schools overcame serious problems, and advice on the best classroom resources. There will also be a 'Changing Rooms' style programme about making over classrooms. It will be broadcast on Sky, Freeview, NTL and Telewest.
David Miliband, schools standards minister, said: "I am confident the pilot will develop quality programmes for school workers. The consortium has an impressive broadcasting track record and a real understanding of the needs and interests of the target audience.
He added: "The proposal came out on top of a very strong field, offering the department real value for money with quality programming that would deliver the educational benefits we stipulated."
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