Was just watching the end of outnumbered on BBC One and noticed the continuity announcer "advertised" outnumbered DVDs.
Just wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction of how the BBC is allowed to advertise merchandise from BBC World (technically a commercial enterprise) such as DVDs?
First of all, as dosxuk says, it's BBC Worldwide. BBC World is the former name of BBC World News, the corporation's commercial international news channel. Post-endcap promotion has been going on for donkeys.
It's simply a way of supplementing the BBC's income. The BBC earns £776million from BBC commercial enterprises. That's the equivalent to 22% of the current licence fee revenue, which, from the tone of your post, is your main beef. If BBC Worldwide didn't exist, the licence fee would be considerably higher than it is now.
It also saves on operating costs by not having to use the licence fee to pay ITV or Sky, their commercial rivals, advertising fees to advertise rival products!
Thus, for the BBC to "advertise" or, as I believe the correct term should be, promote the fact that you can buy said programme on DVD, they are in effect saving you a little bit of dosh. And it's not as if you have to buy the DVD anyway.
Additionally, I don't think a 5-second static clip of a DVD with a dull voiceover constitutes an advert in the modern sense, do you?
BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, is a fast-growing media and entertainment company. Our mission is to maximise profits on behalf of the BBC by creating, acquiring, developing and exploiting media content and media brands around the world. We are self-funded and return profits to the BBC to be reinvested in programmes and services to help keep the UK licence fee as low as possible.
Our primary purpose is to bring value to the BBC in the form of profits and programme investment. We acquire the commercial rights to great programmes such as Planet Earth, Doctor Who and Top Gear and find ways of earning money from these across different media and markets. We then channel funds back to the BBC to be invested in new programmes and services
sorry guys I totally didn't think it was a bad thing! I just wondered how it worked, as I know with for example the radio times in the past, rules stated what could be shown (I.e. a still picture and the classic text advising other listings are available
1. Still image of "merchandise."
2. No music
3. Facts only with no embellishment.
4. Short as possible.
Yes. This was a response to the complaints about the very jazzy Radio Times adverts that used to air ISTR. (Which were much closer to commercials than anything we see theses days)
Yes. This was a response to the complaints about the very jazzy Radio Times adverts that used to air ISTR. (Which were much closer to commercials than anything we see theses days)
Gor blimey that 'ad' for Radio Times was pretty cheesey wasn't it?! I seem to remember the ones they made for Kids/Teen magazine Fast Forward, (which was competing with ITV's Look-In) were far snappier, but again the old rose-tinted specs may be on!!
I suppose those full-length magazine ads were more acceptable in the days when the RT was the only place to get full BBC listings - after deregulation it was a bit much.
The Top of the Pops/Live and Kicking magazine slides were always a bit daft - as well as "other teenage magazines are available", you'd get "please check with an adult before buying" - as if!
It used to rile up Doctor Who fans something stupid that despite cancelling their commitment to the show in 1989, the BBC would proceed to flog whichever serial it had just released whenever it showed repeats in the 90s.
