Vancouver: Despite uncertainty about its future as a government agency, Knowledge Network is forging ahead with its summer and fall schedules and has prelicensed 25% more projects for 2002 than last year.

Like other B.C. government assets, Knowledge is the subject of an ongoing core review and speculation about its privatization has peaked since the dramatic Feb. 19 provincial budget that slashed, among many government expenses, $1 million from funder British Columbia Film. Longtime prospective buyer CHUM Ltd., meanwhile, has had recent meetings with the Ministry of Advanced Education, which oversees the Open Learning Agency, which in turn operates Knowledge. On March 25, the OLA board approved in principle a two-year plan to dissolve itself.

‘We’re hoping to have some clear idea of the future by the end of April,’ says acting general manager Wayne Robert. ‘I doubt it will be status quo, but other than that we don’t know what’s going to happen.’

The summer schedule is locked and is being promoted on air, he says, and the fall schedule will be announced in June. Beyond that, the broadcaster is ‘reluctant to enter into long-term commitments’ and may hold off on acquisitions, says Robert.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Advanced Education, which funds $5 million of Knowledge’s $8.9-million annual budget, says no decisions about the broadcaster have been made.

This year, however, Knowledge has prelicensed 66 Canadian television productions, up 25% from last year and up 57% from two years ago. The 48 hours of B.C.-made programming is 22% higher than last year.

New to Knowledge’s primetime lineup is the strand called BC Chronicles, which is a series of documentaries highlighting B.C.’s history, culture and landscape.

-www.knowtv.com