As part of a company-wide outsourcing initiative, the BBC has put its commercial subsidiary, BBC Broadcast, up for sale in order to focus on program and content creation. BBC Broadcast is an international supplier of digital content delivery services.
The BBC is seeking a buyer to enable it to reduce long-term debt. All proceeds from the sale will be put back into BBC’s production activities.
The winning bidder will acquire BBC Broadcast’s multichannel digital playout and production facilities in London and advertising technologies, as well as more than 50 contract customers, including the BBC.
BBC Broadcast offers a variety of services to playout, publish, promote and provide media access for content across all media platforms. Services include: new channel launches, playout and channel management; channel branding and promotion; and subtitling and other media access services. It currently provides services for 51 public service and commercial television channels and interactive streams, five national radio networks, 39 local radio stations and BBCi.
The BBC recently sold its technology arm, BBC Technology, to Siemens Business Services in August 2004.
