BBC Worldwide Announces Record Profits

LONDON, June 28: BBC
Worldwide presented its Annual Review for 2005/2006 and announced profits of £89.4
million, a year on year increase of 62 percent, and sales up by 11 percent to
£784.4 million.

The
increase in profits was achieved improving sales and efficiencies across all
businesses and by selling, closing or turning around loss-making operations.

BBC
Worldwide is the main commercial arm of the BBC and operates seven businesses:
Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Home Entertainment, Children's and
Digital Media, plus the recently created Content & Production business.

BBC
Worldwide’s businesses in the Americas had a particularly strong year with
profits of $30.7 million for 2005/2006, a year on year increase of 47.6
percent, and sales up by 26.4 percent to $179 million.

John
Smith, the chief executive of BBC Worldwide, said, “It's been an outstanding
year. Our turn-around and repositioning strategy has enabled us to exceed our
targets, streamline the business and prepare for significant growth both in the
UK and abroad.

“2006/07
will see us deepen our commitment to digital media with the proposed
development of the commercial iPlayer and bbc.com, the digitizing of the
archive and more VoD deals. We will continue to invest in acquiring rights and
maximizing returns across all media. We will also be rolling out new Channels
and Content & Production strategies later this year.”

Mark
Thompson, the director-general of the BBC, added, “We set BBC Worldwide an
ambitious target to double profits over two years, and I'm delighted they've
managed to exceed it. The ongoing work in focusing the business and increasing
efficiency is drawing direct investment back into programs and services for
U.K. license payers.”