forked from juliadenham/Summit_knowledge
-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
Commit
This commit does not belong to any branch on this repository, and may belong to a fork outside of the repository.
- Loading branch information
1 parent
78c49d2
commit 874e139
Showing
1 changed file
with
320 additions
and
0 deletions.
There are no files selected for viewing
This file contains bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
| Original file line number | Diff line number | Diff line change |
|---|---|---|
| @@ -0,0 +1,320 @@ | ||
| # BBC Studios | ||
|
|
||
| **BBC Studios Limited** is a British content company. It is a commercial | ||
| subsidiary of the [BBC](BBC "wikilink") that was formed in April 2018 | ||
| through the merger of the BBC's commercial production arm and the BBC's | ||
| commercial international distribution arm, [BBC | ||
| Worldwide](BBC_Worldwide "wikilink"). BBC Studios creates, develops, | ||
| produces, distributes, broadcasts, finances and sells content around the | ||
| world, returning around £200 million to the BBC annually in dividends | ||
| and content investment. | ||
|
|
||
| ## Overview | ||
|
|
||
| [BBC Studios Productions](BBC_Studios_Productions "wikilink") brings | ||
| together the majority of [BBC Television](BBC_Television "wikilink")'s | ||
| former in-house production departments; Factual, Drama, Comedy (both | ||
| combined as Scripted in the new division), Entertainment, and Music & | ||
| Events. BBC Children's production is set to move into BBC Studios | ||
| Productions from April 2022 to increase the potential of taking British | ||
| children's content to the wider global market, along with [BBC | ||
| Three](BBC_Three "wikilink")'s in-house production team, which is | ||
| joining from April 2021. | ||
|
|
||
| [BBC News](BBC_News "wikilink") and [BBC Radio](BBC_Radio "wikilink") | ||
| remain separate internal production divisions in the BBC, and the rest | ||
| of the former BBC Television division (channels and genre commissioning, | ||
| including [BBC Sport](BBC_Sport "wikilink") and [BBC | ||
| iPlayer](BBC_iPlayer "wikilink")) are part of the BBC Content division. | ||
|
|
||
| The BBC Studios production division was formed in 2016 and launched as a | ||
| commercial entity in 2017, enabling it to produce programming for | ||
| other broadcasters and services to generate profit to return to the BBC | ||
| to supplement [licence | ||
| fee](Television_licensing_in_the_United_Kingdom "wikilink") income. In | ||
| exchange, the BBC agreed to place production of much of its non-news | ||
| programmes [to tender](Request_for_tender "wikilink"), allowing | ||
| third-party independents to compete with BBC Studios on bids to produce | ||
| them. | ||
|
|
||
| The merger of BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide in 2018, brought the company | ||
| in line with other major multinational studio conglomerates. | ||
|
|
||
| BBC Studios Productions was the UK's most commissioned creator of new | ||
| content in 2019, with 77 new commissions from the BBC and third-parties. | ||
| It achieved 73 awards and 202 nominations in 2019/2020. | ||
|
|
||
| BBC Studios represents formats and programmes made by hundreds of | ||
| independent producers, as well as its own production teams and returned | ||
| £176m to the independent sector in 2018/2019. | ||
|
|
||
| The company is on track to meet its five-year target of returning £1.2bn | ||
| to the BBC by 2021/2022. BBC Studios has committed to growing this | ||
| total by a further 30% to a new target of £1.5bn in the five years from | ||
| 2022/2023. | ||
|
|
||
| ## History | ||
|
|
||
| BBC Studios Ltd. as a production company was first registered on 27 | ||
| February 2015. In September 2015, the BBC's general director [Tony | ||
| Hall](Tony_Hall,_Baron_Hall_of_Birkenhead "wikilink") announced a | ||
| proposal to split the BBC's in-house production units for non-news | ||
| television programming into a separate BBC Studios division, which would | ||
| eventually, with [BBC Trust](BBC_Trust "wikilink") approval as part of | ||
| the next revision to the BBC's charter, be spun-out as a for-profit | ||
| subsidiary of the BBC. This proposal would allow the BBC's units to | ||
| produce programmes for other broadcasters and digital outlets (which | ||
| could be done in conjunction with its international distribution arm | ||
| [BBC Worldwide](BBC_Worldwide "wikilink")) in addition to the BBC's | ||
| publicly funded properties. As a for-profit company, BBC Studios would | ||
| be allowed to pay higher wages to its executives and talent, and no | ||
| longer face scrutiny over them as it did as a public entity. The | ||
| proposal was described by *[The Guardian](The_Guardian "wikilink")* as | ||
| being "one of the biggest changes to the BBC in its 93-year | ||
| history". | ||
|
|
||
| The proposal attracted criticism from independent studios, who felt that | ||
| it would result in the formation of a "super-indie" that would unduly | ||
| benefit from "guaranteed" programme commissions from the BBC. As part of | ||
| the split, the BBC planned to [tender](Request_for_tender "wikilink") | ||
| its programmes, so that independent producers and BBC Studios could bid | ||
| for the rights to produce its non-news programming, outside of top shows | ||
| (such as *[Doctor Who](Doctor_Who "wikilink")*) assigned to BBC | ||
| Studios. The re-organisation and formation of BBC Studios as a | ||
| division of the BBC was completed in April 2016. In September 2016, | ||
| the BBC announced that it would tender its non-news programmes over the | ||
| next 11 years, beginning with programmes such as *[A Question of | ||
| Sport](A_Question_of_Sport "wikilink")*, *[Holby | ||
| City](Holby_City "wikilink")* and *[Songs of | ||
| Praise](Songs_of_Praise "wikilink")*. | ||
|
|
||
| In October 2016, the BBC announced that it planned to lay off 300 | ||
| employees from the division seen as redundant. In December 2016, BBC | ||
| Studios announced that it had reached an agreement with [Producers | ||
| Alliance for Cinema and | ||
| Television](Producers_Alliance_for_Cinema_and_Television "wikilink") | ||
| (PACT) in regards to the tendering plan, stating that it would tender at | ||
| least 40% of the "in-house guarantee" within two years of approval of | ||
| the transition. The [BBC Trust](BBC_Trust "wikilink") subsequently | ||
| approved the creation of BBC Studios as a commercial subsidiary, with | ||
| the process expected to be completed in April 2017. | ||
|
|
||
| On 29 November 2017, the BBC announced that BBC Worldwide would be | ||
| merged into BBC Studios effective 1 April 2018. The BBC stated that by | ||
| handling both the production and sales of its programming within one | ||
| unit, it would improve efficiency and be in line with the "global norms" | ||
| of other major international media companies. Technically, BBC | ||
| Ventures Group Ltd. was renamed BBC Studios Group Ltd. on 3 April 2018, | ||
| and then BBC Studios Ltd. 1 October 2018; also in October, the | ||
| production company established in 2015 was renamed BBC Studios | ||
| Productions Ltd., and so did [BBC Worldwide | ||
| Ltd.](BBC_Worldwide "wikilink"), which was renamed BBC Studios | ||
| Distribution Ltd. | ||
|
|
||
| In April 2019, BBC Studios announced various agreements with [Discovery, | ||
| Inc.](Discovery,_Inc. "wikilink"); the companies agreed to break apart | ||
| their [UKTV](UKTV "wikilink") joint venture, with Discovery (which had | ||
| acquired a stake in UKTV after its purchase of [Scripps Networks | ||
| Interactive](Scripps_Networks_Interactive "wikilink")) acquiring the | ||
| BBC's stake in UKTV's lifestyle channels, and BBC Studios likewise | ||
| acquiring Discovery's stakes in UKTV's entertainment channels and the | ||
| video on-demand service [UKTV Play](UKTV_Play "wikilink"). In addition, | ||
| Discovery announced a 10-year agreement with the BBC's [Natural History | ||
| Unit](BBC_Studios_Natural_History_Unit "wikilink") to acquire exclusive | ||
| subscription video-on-demand rights to its content worldwide (which | ||
| would be incorporated into a forthcoming [global streaming | ||
| brand](Discovery+ "wikilink")), and co-fund a development team. | ||
| Discovery had previously served as the Natural History's Unit U.S. | ||
| partner until 2013. | ||
|
|
||
| In August 2019, BBC Studios announced a long-term deal with | ||
| [WarnerMedia](WarnerMedia "wikilink")'s upcoming [HBO | ||
| Max](HBO_Max "wikilink") for streaming rights to past seasons of top BBC | ||
| programmes such as *Doctor Who*, *[The Honourable | ||
| Woman](The_Honourable_Woman "wikilink")*, | ||
| *[Luther](Luther_(TV_series) "wikilink")*, and *[Top | ||
| Gear](Top_Gear_(2002_TV_series) "wikilink")*. In January 2020, it | ||
| also sold second-window streaming rights to 14 series to [CW | ||
| Seed](CW_Seed "wikilink") (a video on-demand platform operated by [The | ||
| CW](The_CW "wikilink"), a television network co-owned by | ||
| WarnerMedia). | ||
|
|
||
| In February 2021, BBC Studios launched a new streaming brand in North | ||
| America known as [BBC | ||
| Select](BBC_Select_(streaming_service) "wikilink"), dedicated to factual | ||
| content. On 22 February 2021, BBC Studios signed a first-look deal | ||
| with Gobstopper Group. | ||
|
|
||
| In March 2021, it was announced that the BBC Children's Productions and | ||
| BBC Global News units would also be transferred into BBC Studios. With | ||
| the change, BBC Studios will handle international distribution and | ||
| advertising sales for [BBC World News](BBC_World_News "wikilink"), while | ||
| the public service BBC News operation will assume editorial control of | ||
| the channel. More recently, the studio had set up a development | ||
| deal with EbonyLife Media, which was affiliated with [Sony Pictures | ||
| Television](Sony_Pictures_Television "wikilink"), headed by [Mo | ||
| Abudu](Mo_Abudu "wikilink"). | ||
|
|
||
| In August 2022, it was revealed that BBC Studios planned to launch an | ||
| international newsletter business, initially focusing on Canada and the | ||
| US, the BBC's second largest non-UK news market behind India. | ||
|
|
||
| In June 2023, BBC Studios announced the acquisition of Scandinavian | ||
| production company STV (not to be confused with Scotland's [STV | ||
| Group](STV_Group "wikilink")). The Copenhagen-based company will be | ||
| rebranded BBC Studios Nordic Productions. | ||
|
|
||
| In October 2023, press reports confirmed that BBC Studios had reached a | ||
| multi-million pound financial settlement to compensate Top Gear | ||
| presenter [Freddie Flintoff](Andrew_Flintoff "wikilink") for the | ||
| injuries he sustained in a car crash when filming a Top Gear episode in | ||
| December 2022. | ||
|
|
||
| ## Assets and brands | ||
|
|
||
| ### Television channels | ||
|
|
||
| - [BBC America](BBC_America "wikilink") (United States) | ||
| - [BBC Brit](BBC_Brit "wikilink") (Poland) | ||
| - [BBC Earth](BBC_Earth_(TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC Earth](BBC_Earth_(Canadian_TV_channel) "wikilink") (Canada; | ||
| Under license) | ||
| - [Sony BBC Earth](Sony_BBC_Earth "wikilink") (India; joint | ||
| venture with [Sony](Sony_Pictures_Networks "wikilink")) | ||
| - [BBC Entertainment](BBC_Entertainment "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC First](BBC_First "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC First](BBC_First_(Australian_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| (Australia) | ||
| - [BBC First](BBC_First_(Canadian_TV_channel) "wikilink") (Canada; | ||
| Under license) | ||
| - [BBC First](BBC_First_(Dutch_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| (Netherlands) | ||
| - [BBC HD](BBC_HD_(international) "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC Kids](BBC_Kids "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC Lifestyle](BBC_Lifestyle "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC Nordic](BBC_Nordic "wikilink") | ||
| - [BBC UKTV](BBC_UKTV "wikilink") (Australia and New Zealand) | ||
| - [UKTV](UKTV "wikilink") | ||
| - [Alibi](Alibi_(TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [Dave](Dave_(TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [Drama](Drama_(British_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [Eden](Eden_(British_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [Gold](Gold_(British_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [W](W_(British_TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
| - [Yesterday](Yesterday_(TV_channel) "wikilink") | ||
|
|
||
| ### International distribution only | ||
|
|
||
| - [BBC News](BBC_News_(international_TV_channel) "wikilink") - owned | ||
| by BBC Global News and operated by [BBC News](BBC_News "wikilink") | ||
| - BBC News North America | ||
| - BBC News Africa | ||
| - BBC News South America | ||
| - BBC News Europe (Except UK & Ireland) | ||
| - BBC News Middle East | ||
| - BBC News South Asia | ||
| - BBC News Asia | ||
| - BBC News Australasia | ||
| - [CBBC](CBBC "wikilink") | ||
| - [CBeebies](CBeebies "wikilink") | ||
|
|
||
| ### Brands | ||
|
|
||
| - [BBC Shop](BBC_Shop "wikilink") - Online retailer operating in the | ||
| US & Canada only, selling BBC products. UK physical store closed in | ||
| 2016 & [BBC Store](BBC_Store "wikilink") closed in 2017, although | ||
| Studios retain *Doctor Who* and *Top Gear* branded online shops. | ||
| - [BBC Motion Gallery](BBC_Motion_Gallery "wikilink") - Licensing | ||
| footage from the BBC Archives | ||
| - [BBC Studios Home | ||
| Entertainment](BBC_Studios_Home_Entertainment "wikilink") - Home | ||
| video label. Formerly known as **2 | entertain**. | ||
| - [Demon Music Group](Demon_Music_Group "wikilink") - Record label. | ||
| - [UKTV](UKTV "wikilink") - UK digital TV broadcaster. | ||
| - [BBC Player](BBC_Player "wikilink") (not to be confused with BBC | ||
| iPlayer) - A video on demand subscription service in | ||
| [Singapore](Singapore "wikilink") and | ||
| [Malaysia](Malaysia "wikilink"). | ||
| - Rapid Blue - Division of BBC Studios responsible for production in | ||
| [South Africa](South_Africa "wikilink"). | ||
| - BBC Active (joint venture with [Pearson | ||
| PLC](Pearson_PLC "wikilink")) - The brand publishes educational | ||
| material. | ||
| - Licences the publishing of magazine titles to the [Immediate Media | ||
| Company](Immediate_Media_Company "wikilink"). The titles were | ||
| formerly published in-house by [BBC | ||
| Magazines](BBC_Magazines "wikilink"). | ||
| - Licences audio content to [Penguin Random House | ||
| UK](Penguin_Random_House "wikilink") for global sales and | ||
| distribution. Titles were previously published in-house by | ||
| *BBC Radio Collection* and *BBC Audiobooks* and later by | ||
| [AudioGO](AudioGO "wikilink"), in which BBC Studios held a 15% | ||
| stake. | ||
| - [BBC Books](BBC_Books "wikilink") (joint venture with [Penguin | ||
| Random House UK](Penguin_Random_House "wikilink")) | ||
| - BBC Children's Books (joint venture with [Penguin Random House | ||
| UK](Penguin_Random_House "wikilink")) | ||
| - [BBC Select](BBC_Select_(streaming_service) "wikilink") | ||
|
|
||
| ### Label investments | ||
|
|
||
| BBC Studios has built up a stake in a variety of different production | ||
| companies. | ||
|
|
||
| - 72 Films (with David Glover and Mark Raphael; 15%) | ||
| - Amazing Productions (with [George | ||
| Clarke](George_Clarke_(architect) "wikilink"), 25%) | ||
| - [Baby Cow Productions](Baby_Cow_Productions "wikilink") (with [Steve | ||
| Coogan](Steve_Coogan "wikilink"); 73%) | ||
| - Brutal Media | ||
| - Burning Bright Productions (25%) | ||
| - [Clerkenwell Films](Clerkenwell_Films "wikilink") (100% as of 19 | ||
| January 2021) | ||
| - [Cuba Pictures](Curtis_Brown_(agency) "wikilink") (10%, via Original | ||
| Talent Ltd) | ||
| - Curve Media (with Rob Carey and Camilla Lewis; 25%) | ||
| - Expectation Entertainment (24.9%) | ||
| - Firebird Pictures (100% as of 5 October 2022) | ||
| - House Productions (100% as of 14 December 2021) | ||
| - [Lookout Point TV](Lookout_Point_TV "wikilink") (100% as of 5 July | ||
| 2018) | ||
| - Mighty Productions (with Lynn Sutcliffe and Hugh Rycroft) | ||
| - Moonage Pictures | ||
| - Sid Gentle Films Ltd. (100% as of 17 October 2022) | ||
| - VAL (Various Artists Limited) (with [Sam Bain](Sam_Bain "wikilink"), | ||
| [Jesse Armstrong](Jesse_Armstrong "wikilink"), [Phil | ||
| Clarke](Phil_Clarke_(TV_producer) "wikilink") and Roberto Troni; | ||
| 20%) | ||
| - Werner Film Productions | ||
|
|
||
| ## BBC Records | ||
|
|
||
| **BBC Records** was a division of the [BBC](BBC "wikilink") founded in | ||
| 1967 to commercially exploit the corporation's output for radio and | ||
| television for both educational and domestic use. In the 1990s | ||
| licensing and marketing of the BBC's recorded output become the | ||
| responsibility of **[BBC Worldwide](BBC_Worldwide "wikilink") (formerly | ||
| BBC Enterprises)**, and the corporation ceased the direct release of | ||
| recorded material, instead licensing its products to other companies. | ||
| BBC Worldwide was merged into BBC Studios from 2018, which now licenses | ||
| the use of the BBC logo on commercial recordings. | ||
|
|
||
| ## BritBox | ||
|
|
||
| **BritBox** is an [over-the-top](Over-the-top_media_service "wikilink") | ||
| [subscription video | ||
| on-demand](video_on_demand#Subscription_models "wikilink") brand, which | ||
| includes original programming commissioned or acquired by the company, | ||
| and third-party content licensed from other UK channels such as | ||
| [BBC](BBC "wikilink"), [ITV](ITV_plc "wikilink"), [Channel | ||
| 4](Channel_4 "wikilink") and [Channel | ||
| 5](Channel_5_(British_TV_channel) "wikilink"). The service was announced | ||
| by [BBC Worldwide](BBC_Worldwide "wikilink") and [ITV | ||
| plc](ITV_plc "wikilink") as a joint venture in 2016 and launched in 2017 | ||
| in North America; the international service remains a joint | ||
| venture of BBC Studios and ITV plc. | ||
|
|
||
| A separately managed UK version of the service launched in 2019 but is | ||
| now a fully owned subsidiary of ITV, after they announced in 2022 that | ||
| they had bought out the BBC and its other partners with the intention of | ||
| integrating the service with [ITVX](ITVX "wikilink"). |