>BBC Worldwide Limited is company, wholly owned by the BBC, that sells >BBC merchandise (e.g. video and audio recordings of BBC programmes, >books, magazines, toys and games).
They're primarily there to hold the rights to BBC productions for commercial exploitation - ie, for rebroadcast internationally, for DVD release, and for repeat on non-BBC channels in the UK. They then re-invest in the public service bit of the BBC on a production-by-production basis; ie, putting money in if they think a show has strong commercial potential after its public service 'free' life. It's all a bit complicated, and I only vaguely understand the arrangement. And you're not wrong, Nico - the political and economic issues about the idea would be... large. K - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
