BBC TV Commissioning Supply Report Shows $1.7 Billion Investment

The BBC commissioned more than £1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) of original TV content in 2021-22, according to its latest report, and worked with more producers in more locations than any other U.K. broadcaster.

The TV Commissioning Supply Report shows a total of 28,000 hours of original TV content for 2021-22. It shows 54 percent of network TV commissioning spend outside of London, 61 percent with producers in Nations and Egnlish regions, 74 percent with Small Indie Fund companies outside of London, and 24 commissions based in the Nations and English regions.

The BBC worked with 334 producers in total, with 59 new producers commissioned.

The commissioning spend on diverse content exceeded £44 million ($53 million). Two-thirds of this went to production companies with diverse leadership.

“We launched our ambitious ‘Across the U.K.’ plans to ensure that everyone gets more value from the BBC, getting closer to audiences everywhere,” said Charlotte Moore, BBC’s chief content officer. “We’re proud to be investing in talent, creating jobs and supporting the sector, which has been showcased in the range of distinctive productions that finally hit our screens after Covid delays, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the creativity and dedication producers have shown through such a difficult period. We were pleased to get feedback from companies about how supportive the BBC was during the pandemic, with suppliers citing us as an outstanding partner through Covid-19.

“We’ve played a strong leadership role supporting change in the sector this year, putting our £100 million diverse content commitment into action, working with creative partners to set standards on respect at work and playing our part in nurturing the skills and talent which are the lifeblood of our industry—and of course, ensuring we all work in a way that protects the planet for future generations.”