BBC Exits Animal Planet, Liv JV

LONDON/SILVER SPRING: BBC Worldwide is selling its 50-percent stake in Animal Planet and Liv to joint-venture partner Discovery Communications, while also extending its long-term North American co-production pact with the company.

The BBC and Discovery are extending their long-standing pact—which has produced blue-chip natural history like Life and Planet Earth—by two years to 2014. "This new co-production agreement continues a tradition of developing world-class global hits…that began 25 years ago when Discovery launched in the U.S.," said Mark Hollinger, president and CEO of Discovery Networks International.

Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision, added, "This extended deal with Discovery enables us to continue producing the most ambitious and creative landmark factual programming for viewers until 2014 and provides exceptional value for licence fee payers. It will enable us to build on some of the natural history and specialist factual co-productions we already have planned, such as David Attenborough’s epic series about the cycle of seasons, Frozen Planet, for 2011."

Meanwhile, BBC Worldwide offloading its Animal Planet and Liv stakes for $156 million, in order to focus on its own channel brands (BBC America, BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, BBC HD and CBeebies).

"The launch and growth of BBC-branded international channels is an important strategic priority for BBC Worldwide and the sale of the 50-percent interest in Animal Planet and Liv will enable us to bring increased focus to these fast-growing channels, and to progress a number of other strategic priorities," commented John Smith, CEO of BBC Worldwide. "The sale is also consistent with the BBC Trust review of BBC Worldwide which was published in November 2009."