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Decoding The BBC Group’s Content Strategy

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BBC Content Strategy

Decoding The BBC Group's Content Strategy

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the BBC’s content strategy for the remainder of 2024. Vitrina monitors 169 companies affiliated with the BBC, encompassing those involved in broadcasting, streaming, and production services in film and television. Key insights include:

  • New Commissions: There has been a gradual decline in new commissions over the past three years. Compared to 2021, new commission activity has nearly halved this year and is projected to remain slightly below 2023 levels.
  • IP & Development Activity: There has been a gradual increase in new IP and development activities, suggesting that some projects are not green-lit, possibly due to budget constraints and rising programming costs.
  • Acquisitions: Acquisitions in 2024 have significantly increased compared to 2023 and are expected to reach levels observed during the pandemic in 2021-2022 when production activity was largely halted.
  • Season Renewals: First-run commission renewals have seen a consistent rise year over year, indicating a preference for investing in proven intellectual properties.
  • Production Partnerships: Production partnerships have remained steady over the past three years, reflecting ongoing shared risk-taking in projects with established studios in North America, India, France, and other regions.
  • Distribution: The distribution business has remained flat over the past three years.

These trends highlight the BBC’s evolving approach to content creation, acquisition, and distribution in a changing media landscape.

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Live Session: Decoding The BBC Group’s Content Strategy

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The BBC Group & Subsidiaries in Video Entertainment

Vitrina tracks 169 entertainment and content companies under the BBC group of companies. These range from broadcast and streaming services to production studios and production service providers.

Streaming and Broadcast

BBC iPlayer
BBC one
BBC Nordic
CBBC
UKTV

Production Houses

BBC Studios
Voltage TV
BBC Film
72 films
babycowproductions

Deep dive into The BBC Group's projects

Vitrina tracks projects across the world in Film/ TV Development,
Production, Release and Acquisition

These are mapped to the relevant companies: ProdCos, Streamers, Broadcasters

And we link the projects to Decision-makers, Deal-makers and Execs besides
Talent

The charts below are BBC Group’s Transaction Volumes

BBC's Production Transactions

The BBC’s annual plan for 2024-25 outlines the availability of approximately 7,765 hours of first-run programming. This total is divided between original productions and reruns of previously released originals. The specific number of hours dedicated to this year’s original productions is detailed in subsequent charts. Regarding overall production activity, the chart below indicates steady performance from 2021 to 2023. While 2024 slightly lags behind the quarterly average, an increase in production and IP & Development transactions is anticipated in the coming months.

Production and Dev Vol 1
BBC - Production and IP&Development Deals
Source: Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker
Not Going Out
Shetland
Secret Spies A Nuclear Game
Beyond Paradise
Malory Towres
Strictly Come Dancing

BBC's Commissioned Projects

The chart below clearly illustrates the mounting pressures due to a two-year freeze in the license fee, coupled with soaring inflation and rising production costs. These factors have compelled the BBC to re-evaluate their strategy for original video commissions.

Commissions 3
BBC Commissioned Projects
Source: Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker
The Traitors Celebrity Version
Murder Case The digital detectives
Michael Mcintyres wheel of fortune
Paranormal the village that saw aliens
Screenshot 2024 07 24 at 16.24.48
Tempting Fortunes

BBC's Season Renewals

While original commissions have declined this year, there has been robust growth in season renewals. The chart below indicates that the BBC has chosen to invest in proven IP, ensuring that cautious spending on in-house productions continues to deliver high-quality entertainment to their British audience. As 2024 progresses, it is likely that season renewals will surpass 2023 numbers.

Season Renewals 2 1
BBC Season Renewals
Source: Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker
Doctor Who
Murdoch Mysteries
Glow Up
The Mallorca Files
Gladiators
The Night Manager

BBC's Projects by Genre

The BBC’s annual plan outlines the programming hours allocated to select genres for their audience. The top genres—Drama, Factual Entertainment, Comedy, and Documentaries—constitute nearly 60% of all programming. Utilizing Vitrina Xplorer, titles within these genres can be clearly identified, allowing for an in-depth exploration of individual titles within the BBC’s content catalog. Each data point in every genre cluster represents a content title, whether it be a film, series, animation, documentary, or format, as illustrated in the chart below.

Screenshot 2024 07 25 at 12.31.12
BBC Top Genre's
Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker

Top Genres - Drama, Comedy, Factual Entertainment

Within the Drama genre, there is an almost equal distribution between first-run original BBC programming and acquired or licensed titles. As the UK’s largest producer of British scripted comedy, the BBC generates 75% of its programming in-house, with the remainder sourced through acquisitions. This trend is consistent across Factual Entertainment and Documentaries, ensuring a diverse offering for all audiences. Click on the “View All” button to access individual charts for the top-performing genres.

Top Genres chart 1
BBC Top Genres (Drama, Factual, Comedy)
Source: Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker
Blue Lights
Bird
The Change
The Inheritance
The Turkish Detective
Austin

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BBC's Distribution and Licensing Activity

Finally, we examine the BBC group’s acquisition trends. As anticipated, the reduction in first-run original productions has necessitated an increase in content acquisition activities. Additionally, there has been a rise in licensing titles to other networks, indicating that the BBC is leveraging licensing revenues to offset the shortfalls caused by the two-year license fee freeze in their local territory. The chart shows that 2024 has already surpassed 2023 in content acquisitions, with numbers potentially reaching 2021 levels when productions were nearly at a standstill due to the pandemic.

Acquisition BBC 1
BBC - Content Acquisition Activity
Source: Vitrina Global Film+TV Projects Tracker
Acquisition by Genre
BBC Content Acquisitions by Genre
Source: Vitrina Deal Intel
Samber
SpyMaster
Martin Compstons Scottish Fling
Copa 71
Obituary
The Gone

These insights highlight the BBC’s strategy for managing the cost pressures expected in 2024. By focusing on expanding proven intellectual properties and forming strategic partnerships with established industry players, the BBC has adopted a cautiously optimistic content strategy. This approach enables the organization to tackle global challenges in the entertainment sector while addressing local issues, including reforms related to the license-fee freeze, the UK’s cost of living crisis, existing skills gaps within the creative sector, and rising production costs.

Live Session: Decoding The BBC Group’s Content Strategy

Live Session: Decoding The BBC Group’s Content Strategy

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