Digital Platforms Pick Up BBC Worldwide Titles

LIVERPOOL: BBC Worldwide has sold more than 2,300 hours of content to international digital platforms, including in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

At this year’s BBC Showcase, the distributor signed its first digital deal with Israel’s Cellcom for its upcoming OTT TV services. The lineup of drama titles acquired includes Sherlock, Orphan Black, Luther and Young Doctors Notebook & Other Stories, along with Ripper Street, Call the Midwife, Pramface and Moone Boy. All the titles will be launched for on-demand viewing through connected devices, including set-top boxes, tablets and mobiles.

In Asia, China’s OTT platform Tencent inked a deal for a package of drama titles including Sherlock, Atlantis, Orphan Black and The Zoo, whilse Japan’s Hulu renewed their agreement for three more years, licensing titles such as The Musketeers, Top Gear, Planet Earth, Blue Planet and Life. South Korean publisher Woongjin nabbed a number of children’s shows in its first tablet SVOD deal for CBeebies in the region. Among those titles are Charlie and Lola, Woolly & Tig and Sarah and Duck.

Times Media Films in South Africa signed a content package for the new streaming service VIDI TV, picking up Sherlock, Call the Midwife, Luther, Misfits and Torchwood.

European sales included Amazon in Germany securing key titles such as Doctor Who, Luther, Planet Earth and Charlie & Lola, with Liberty Global’s UPC Cablecom SVOD service Horizon in Switzerland taking Human Planet, History of the World, Africa and Louis Theroux, among others. Finally, Slovenian public broadcaster VOYA acquired a Top Gear SVOD package.

Paul Dempsey, the president of Global Markets for BBC Worldwide, said: “We’ve seen a significant increase in sales to digital clients from all over the world, fuelled by new and established customers. The notable shift we are seeing towards video streaming and on-demand means viewers are increasingly able to access our content wherever and whenever they want it.”