The newly created BBC Studios officially launched today (3rd April 2018), heralding a new chapter for the BBC’s content creation and exploitation activities.
In an environment of increasing competition for viewers, the merger of BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios brings the BBC Group into line with the rest of the industry and ensures the creative and commercial success of the organisation. BBC Studios will see content through the full life cycle of development, commissioning, production and co-production, sales and distribution and will underpin the creation of new BBC-owned IP.
The newly formed BBC Studios will build on the unique heritage and global success of both organisations, with British creativity and outstanding content forming the cornerstone of the company.
Leading a staff of around 3000 and overseeing an annual turnover of £1.4bn, Tim Davie, Chief Executive Officer and Mark Linsey, Chief Creative Officer officially assumed their new roles today and unveiled the organisation’s new vision, purpose and strategy.
And following last month’s announcement to set up a production office in Sydney, Australia, BBC Studios is developing new production opportunities in Beijing, China. Award-winning executive producer Matthew Springford, who has over 20 years’ experience in factual programme-making, will be based at the BBC office in Beijing alongside the BBC Studios’ distribution team and will be working with Chinese TV stations and digital platforms to co-develop and co-produce original content and new formats across all factual genres.
Tim Davie, CEO, BBC Studios, said: “BBC Studios exists to inspire audiences globally, strengthening the BBC financially and creatively, working with the very best British talent. Bringing together the UK’s most awarded production business, a world-class content sales business, our unique portfolio of brands, and a network of premium indie partners, BBC Studios has what it takes to create and export quality British programmes in this new age of content.”
Mark Linsey, CCO, BBC Studios, said: “Today is an important and exciting day for the BBC. For me, it’s all about BBC Studios’ outstanding creativity and the brilliant programmes that we and our indie partners make, so it’s even more thrilling that I can announce today that Shakespeare & Hathaway, our break-out daytime drama hit, has been recommissioned.”
