Some sister companies of broadcasters

(Originally titled "Commercial business(es) of public broadcasters")

This is a thread to discuss some commercial businesses of public (service) broadcasters, ranging from programme sales, productions, technical things and, sometimes, odd ones.

Edit: Some interesting developments going in this thread. To add some note, some broadcasters are happened to be owned by multi-business conglomerate (or at least a company not specialised in media business). That's why I originally intended this thread to be about some commercial businesses of *public (sector or service) broadcasters*, but I'm fine with what is going right now.

You should really contribute something to the thread instead of just starting a topic for no reason.

Let me start with South Korea's KBS. To introduce some of their odd business...

KBS Media (a counterpart of BBC Worldwide) produced a drama series* for a rival network, predating BBC Studios' such commitment to do so.
KBS even owns a security business, named KBS Security. (The website is not available in English, but you'll get the idea.)

* That series premiered in January this year on TVN, a 'cable-only' entertainment channel owned by CJ E&M (one of major players in commercial sector).

You mean like stv productions making all those programmes for bbc?

I know (and even ITV plc does make some shows for BBC through their studios), but BBC Studios hasn't started to make a show for commercial rivals yet.

The first one was announced the other day which will be a one off documentary about a fatberg in a London sewer for C4.


ITV owned companies make an awful lot for the BBC.

How about the BBC owning a hotel and conference centre?

Attended a wedding there in 2001, (nothing to do with anyone involved being connected to the Beeb) Hideously expensive booze, over 4 quid for a pint of Guinness, (remember this was 16 years ago)

Westward TV had an airline and dabbled with Tourism marketing and art exhibitions:




TWW owned opticians firm Dolland and Atchinson for a while

Specky Welly Wales?

http://thewoodnorton.com/the-wood-norton

Surely Granada at its peak in the 1990’s would have fit this. They had the TV companies and ventures alongside its catering and hospitality businesses. Of course the business was eventually split in 2.

http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/32a50e28b6424b93965f3bff260fe92f/leigh-delamere-notice-boardgsigns-for-retail-shops-in-service-station-h7ygw2.jpg