Given the competition for content we continue to explore all
avenues for feeding our pipeline with new properties to exploit
across appropriate formats and markets. The majority are produced
by the BBC and independent companies, but we are also making shows
ourselves, particularly local versions of our own formats. In doing
this we are creating new properties to add to our programme
catalogue for worldwide distribution.
We are proud of our work in setting up and supporting a number
of UK indies (below), which are developing strongly. This role -
where BBC Worldwide acts as a significant investor in UK creativity
in return for rights - is one we plan to continue.
Programme and talent investment
In 2010/11 BBC Worldwide invested £101.0m in new programmes:
£78.5m in BBC-commissioned content and £22.5m in non-BBC.
We concluded new development deals with Fresh One Productions
and Oxford Film and Television and struck a partnership with Sharp
Jack Media. As part of our strategy to develop valuable
intellectual property and content with talent, we also concluded
deals with Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer's Raise the Roof
Productions.
BBC Worldwide production
In our own production business, a major focus this year was to
build our profile in the USA. Our Los Angeles-based team now has a
number of scripted and unscripted formats in development. In
addition it produced a local version of Top Gear for cable channel
HISTORYTM which has been recommissioned, and another
highly successful season of Dancing with the Stars for ABC.
An exciting development for the team was making the new series
of sci-fi drama Torchwood for the first time. Co-produced by BBC
Worldwide, BBC Cymru Wales and US cable channel STARZ, this
promises to be a major event for fans when it airs in the UK and on
STARZ later this year.
In Australia our production partner Freehand produced a new
local version of Top Gear for Channel Nine which has also been
recommissioned.
Elsewhere, all our production bases secured commissions in
2010/11. India had a particularly strong year. The team more than
doubled the number of commissions by expanding its client base and
working on new genres of programming. A fourth season of Dancing
with the Stars (Jhalak Dikhla Jaa) was secured with Sony Television
and the team landed its first commission with India's number one
channel, Star Plus, for a local version of the BBC format, The Week
the Women Went.
Other commissions
Our international channels commissioned and co-produced 137
hours of programming, and UKTV in the UK broadcast 250 hours of its
own commissioned shows. 2 entertain, our DVD/download-toown
business, also separately funds programme production designed to
premiere on DVD/Blu-ray. In the year this included John Bishop Live
and Top Gear Apocalypse.