TV Case: BBC Worldwide TV exports

TV Case: BBC Worldwide TV Exports

BBC Worldwide is the largest TV programme distributor in the world, outside the US major studios, with a catalogue of 50,000 hours from the BBC and the independent production sector. This includes Top Gear, Dancing with the Stars and the BBC's natural history programmes - sold internationally under the BBC Earth brand.

It created almost £1 billion Gross Value Added for the UK economy in FY2011/12, excluding joint ventures.

BBC Worldwide Showcase is the world’s biggest TV sales event staged by a single distributor. More than 700 international buyers attended BBC Worldwide Showcase 2013 in Liverpool and the company is also now running Showcase events in Latin America and China.

Top Gear is the world’s most widely watched factual TV programme according to the Guinness Book of World Records 2013. The show has been watched by audiences in 244 territories around the world, from Ghana to Guatemala, Moldova to Myanmar. As well as the UK show, local versions have been made in the USA, Australia, Russia, China and South Korea.

49 different versions of Dancing with the Stars - known in the UK as Strictly Come Dancing - have been licensed across the world by BBC Worldwide. A version of the show has been seen in over 75 countries (estimated 250m people have watched a local episode of the show). It has just finished Season 17 on ABC in USA, the most watched unscripted entertainment show.

The BBC’s natural history programmes – sold internationally under the BBC Earth brand - are loved all around the world. The most recent series - Africa - was sold by BBC Worldwide to 195 territories. One in every 24 households in the USA has bought Planet Earth DVD – making it best-selling natural history DVD ever in the USA.

More information is available in BBC Worldwide’s Annual Review 2012/13.