So what would the BBC be most likely to sell? The magazine and consumer publishing arms are attracting the most interest, and the corporation may also sell off its 50% stake in pay-TV joint venture UKTV.
#Poser world tv
The corporation's help in converting those viewers with analogue TV would be appreciated by a government that has already rolled back its 2010 deadline for the UK to make the switch. The corporation could also use any money from a sale of some of Worldwide's assets to fund the digital switchover. The £657m sales achieved by Worldwide last year pales into insignificance set against the £2.8bn the BBC received from licence fees. These decisions are not just about numbers." "If they could get away with keeping all of Worldwide they would keep it all, but they probably can't. The question is, what do they need to do to get that? One former BBC executive said: "What they really, really want is the renewal of the charter and the best possible licence fee to go with it. With the mood music from White City suggesting an emphasis on public service, commercial activities could be given up as a necessary sacrifice to continued licence fee funding. Such signs are particularly important in the run-up to the renewal of the corporation's 10-year charter at the end of 2006. In an interview with the Independent earlier this month, Mr Grade also said that "any commercial activities must be programme-related". In launching the review a few months after joining, chairman Michael Grade and chief executive Mark Thompson offered a sign of their willingness to scale back the commercial emphasis of the previous regime. The other factor encouraging potential bidders is the climate at the BBC under its new management team. There may be nothing left to manage, after all.
He points out that no replacement can be appointed because of the nature of the review. Earlier this week he said: "Having extracted myself from the review process I am just ensuring that the business runs smoothly." Perhaps unusually for an executive in such a position, Mr Gavin is not enjoying a period of gardening leave but continues to manage the operation until Mr Smith takes over in October. He has said he would "look closely at the possibility of making a bid" if the business is put on the market. The departure of former Dixons and BT executive Mr Gavin, just three days after the review was announced, has encouraged such hopes. A consultant who works on industry mergers, and declined to be named, described the likelihood of the BBC selling off Worldwide in some way, shape or form as "huge". Most analysts and rivals believe the second option, selling off parts of the business while keeping some core assets, is the most likely to be chosen. The commercial review panel has three options: sell the whole business, sell part of it or do nothing.įew in the industry think John Smith, the BBC chief operating officer who heads the review panel, will decide to do nothing when he reports at the end of the year.
The huge interest from rivals, private financiers and bankers is largely based on the fact that everything could be up for grabs. Worldwide's cash contribution to the BBC's coffers rose under the former director-general, Greg Dyke, from £81m in 1999 to £141m last year. Its magazine empire - it sold more than 100m copies last year - includes the Radio Times, pre-school favourites such as the Fimbles and Gardeners' World.
#Poser world series
It sold 26m DVDs, videos, books and audio products last year with its best-seller, the second series of the Office, shifting 142,782 DVDs in its first week. It is the UK's leading exporter of television programmes and the third largest consumer magazine publisher. Worldwide has seven different divisions devoted to making money out of what is arguably Britain's best-known brand. The reason for the interest is not difficult to understand.
0 kommentar(er)
