BBC in-house producers were producing solely for the BBC, which meant if their proposals weren’t commissioned there, they were dead. In 2017, in-house production was spun off as a commercial subsidiary, BBC Studios, that for the first time was permitted to seek business from outside the BBC. It now produces content for all major UK broadcasters.
As the BBC Charter forbids it from distorting the market, and as BBC Studios became a major new entrant into the commercial production sector, a compromise was made whereby a selection of some of the BBC’s stalwart shows were made available by competitive tender.
In this process, the contract to produce a show is put to tender to the independent production companies and to BBC Studios, with the bid representing best value to the licence fee payer winning. All rights and editorial control remain with the BBC.
While the BBC appointed Bad Wolf as production contractor for Doctor Who in 2022, this will be the first time Doctor Who has been available to competitive tender.
BBC in-house producers were producing solely for the BBC, which meant if their proposals weren’t commissioned there, they were dead. In 2017, in-house production was spun off as a commercial subsidiary, BBC Studios, that for the first time was permitted to seek business from outside the BBC. It now produces content for all major UK broadcasters.
As the BBC Charter forbids it from distorting the market, and as BBC Studios became a major new entrant into the commercial production sector, a compromise was made whereby a selection of some of the BBC’s stalwart shows were made available by competitive tender.
In this process, the contract to produce a show is put to tender to the independent production companies and to BBC Studios, with the bid representing best value to the licence fee payer winning. All rights and editorial control remain with the BBC.
While the BBC appointed Bad Wolf as production contractor for Doctor Who in 2022, this will be the first time Doctor Who has been available to competitive tender.