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Press Releases
BBC and YouTube partner to bring short-form BBC content to online audiences
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 YouTube content to include two BBC-branded entertainment channels showing short-form videos
Dedicated channel for BBC News clips also to be featured on YouTube
The BBC, BBC Worldwide and YouTube today announced the beginning
of a partnership to offer Internet users across the world new and innovative
ways to experience and enjoy BBC content through YouTube.
This non-exclusive partnership will create branded BBC "Channels" on YouTube
operating under separate BBC and BBC Worldwide agreements.
The partnership
reflects YouTube's commitment to work with content owners to make compelling
video accessible online, and the BBC's commitment to increase reach through the
partnership, to bring new audiences to the proposed BBC iPlayer service, and to
secure commercial revenue via BBC Worldwide, its commercial subsidiary, to
supplement the licence fee.
The partnership, which will build over time, comprises three elements:
From the BBC: Clips of new shows and specially commissioned promotional
content linked to popular series such as Doctor Who and Life On Mars. At
launch, the YouTube community will be able to enjoy a range of specially-
created video diaries including David Tennant and Freema Agyeman, who'll take
viewers around the set of Doctor Who; John Simm going back in time for Life On
Mars; and Clive Myrie on the streets of the red zone of Baghdad
From BBC Worldwide: An entertainment channel called "BBC Worldwide"
showing clips from material such as Top Gear, Spooks, The Catherine Tate Show,
The Mighty Boosh and a range of factual programmes including those presented by
David Attenborough. The channel will include a limited amount of advertising.
From BBC World, the BBC's international commercial television channel:
Around 30 news clips per day will be offered, with up-to-the-minute news and
analysis from around the world. The advertising-funded clips will be available
to users outside the UK only.
Users will be able to comment on clips, rate them, recommend them to friends
and post their own video responses to communicate with the BBC and other
viewers.
Mark Thompson, Director-General of the BBC, said: "This ground-breaking
partnership between the BBC and YouTube is fantastic news for our audiences.
YouTube is a key gateway through which to engage new audiences in the UK and
abroad.
"The partnership provides both a creative outlet for a range of short-form
content from BBC programme makers and the opportunity to learn about new forms
of audience behaviour.
"It's essential that the BBC embraces new ways of
reaching wider audiences with non-exclusive partnerships such as these."
Eric Schmidt, CEO and Chairman of Google, said: "We're delighted to be joining
forces with the BBC to bring the best TV programming available to the YouTube
community.
"We will continue to invest in our platforms and technologies to help
our partners make the most of the enormous opportunities presented by the
billion people now online."
Chad Hurley, CEO and Co-Founder of YouTube, said: "We're constantly looking for
innovative ways to bring the best content to our community.
"The BBC is a
premier source for quality programming, and we're excited that they are leading
the way in enabling two-way dialogue and real engagement with an entirely new
audience. We hope to open up an entirely new audience for their content, while
deepening their relationship with their existing viewers."
Benefits
The non-exclusive partnership reflects the BBC's commitment to reach audiences
in new ways.
The aim is to offer audiences a taste of BBC programming with
clips which will (subject to the conclusion of the ongoing PVT process) link
them to the BBC's proposed iPlayer service on bbc.co.uk.
For BBC Worldwide the
partnership forms part of a strategy to bring great British content to new
audiences around the world through its global TV channels and its proposed new
digital businesses - the commercial iPlayer and the commercialisation of
international traffic to bbc.co.uk. Increasing levels of funds will be
returned to the BBC for investment in new programming.
Clips on BBC News (available to users outside the UK only) and "BBC Worldwide"
will benefit from Google and YouTube's advertising platforms, generating new
revenues for investment in BBC programme development and creation. Advertising
will be governed by a comprehensive set of guidelines.
BBC and YouTube Partnership: Press Room
The press room can be accessed through: http://services.google.com/bbc/
Username: press
Password: bbcyoutube
Notes to Editors
The BBC's new on-demand proposals, including BBC iPlayer, are currently
undergoing a Public Value Test (PVT) by the BBC Trust. These proposals have
been given provisional approval pending a further consultation and final
decision by 2 May 2007.
About BBC
The BBC exists to enrich people's lives with great programmes and services that
inform, educate and entertain. It provides a wide range of distinctive
programmes and services for everyone, free of commercial interests and
political bias. They include television, radio, national, local, children's,
educational, language and other services for key interest groups. The BBC is
financed by a TV licence paid by households. It does not have to serve the
interests of advertisers, or produce a return for shareholders.
About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary
of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise
the value of the BBC's assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest
in public service programming in return for rights. The company has six core
businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production,
Home Entertainment and Digital Media. In 2005/06 BBC Worldwide generated
profits of £89m on sales of £784m.
About BBC Global News Division
The BBC Global News Division comprises BBC World Service radio, BBC Monitoring,
BBC World television and the BBC's international facing online news services,
and provides a focal point for viewers and listeners around the world.
Together, these services attract a combined global weekly audience of over 210
million. The division's aim, under the leadership of its Director Richard
Sambrook, is to be the world's best known, most creative and most respected
voice in international news.
About YouTube
Founded in February 2005, YouTube is the leader in online video, and the
premier destination to watch and share original videos worldwide through a Web
experience. YouTube allows people to easily upload and share video clips on
www.YouTube.com and across the Internet through websites, blogs, and email.
YouTube has quickly become the leading destination on the Internet for video
entertainment.
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