MUMBAI: ?Really Cool Stuff? (working title) is the eighth original production to be announced by BBC Worldwide as part of the new commissioning strategy for its global branded channels, unveiled last September.

Blending science and factual entertainment, the fully funded format will premiere on BBC Knowledge (Asia, Africa, CEE, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Poland and the Nordics) and BBC HD (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America) next year. Dissecting the coolest things in the universe, the general knowledge show will be led by three British presenters alongside studio experiments and CGI and animations.
 
The 10 episode factual entertainment series from 360Production will tackle some of the world?s greatest mysteries from why cats have nine lives, to why we experience D?j? Vu and whether anyone could move fast enough to dodge a speeding bullet.

BBC Worldwide?s aim is to deliver 100 hours of original programming to its BBC branded channels by next year.

The company adds that this latest original production which blends science with factual entertainment, demonstrates VP of commissioning Tracy Forsyth?s commitment to work with independent producers and the BBC?s in-house production teams to create original and high quality television formats for the BBC?s international channel portfolio. Lucy Pilkington will act as BBC Knowledge executive producer, while BBC Worldwide will hold all commercial rights to the new series of ?Really Cool Stuff?, including global broadcast and distribution.

Created with an international BBC audience in mind, ?Really Cool Stuff? will take a magnifying glass to the world?s greatest and most intriguing natural wonders and examine quirky topics in bite size chunks. There will be a mix of presenter interaction, CGI, studio-based scientific experiments, demonstrations and expert input. Hosts Greg Foot (Physicist and adrenalin junkie), Fran Scott (biologist and practical experimenter) and Dominic Byrne (radio and TV broadcaster) will together debate, investigate and dissect a wide spectrum of topics including: "What is more deadly, a tornado or a hurricane?", "where do accents come from?" and "what is the loudest living thing in the ocean?"
 
Forsyth commented, "This high-energy, visually stimulating and incredibly informative series by 360Production, truly delivers a great mix of science and factual entertainment content in a fresh, digestible and returnable format. ?Really Cool Stuff? will answer some of those bizarre common-place questions you have always wondered about, no matter where you live in the world ? and this is one of the many reasons I believe the show will have wide-appeal with our international BBC audiences".

360Production creative director John Farren said, "Everyone at 360Production loves perplexing questions, funny answers, brilliant design and making things go bang. In this show, we get to do them all and can?t wait to share the results with audiences around the world."

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide MD Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Jon Penn has made some strategic changes to key roles in his senior team, to prepare the company for growth in the territory.

Deirdre Brennan is to become the director of content, taking responsibility for content management and development in the region. In this new role, she will oversee format production, drama investment and the editorial delivery of the ANZ channels.

Blair McQuade, who until recently was BBC Worldwide ANZ acting GM, has taken on the new role of chief commercial officer (CCO). As CCO, McQuade will oversee strategy and corporate development, finance and operations. McQuade?s role will also manage the TV Sales business distributing programming to FTA, STV and digital platforms.

Irene Read has been promoted to head of sales, leading the team that licenses all TV programming and news in Australia and New Zealand on a daily basis, reporting to McQuade in this role. Read joined BBC Worldwide in 2011 and has successfully overseen sales in the Australian region to date.

Rob Leach will become digital and business development director with an expanded remit overseeing commercial digital, brand licensing and new business lines. He has recently taken on responsibility for the licensing of BBC Worldwide?s brands in Australia and New Zealand, notably live events, consumer products and DVDs. He is also responsible for BBC World News and the relationship with MCN.

Completing the executive leadership team for BBC Worldwide Australia and New Zealand are: Melissa Madden, director of brands and marketing, leading the company?s marketing department and creative services team. Fiona Lang, head of business and legal affairs, overseeing all legal, contractual, regulatory and compliance activity.

Penn said, "As BBC Worldwide looks to grow its business outside the UK, placing more autonomy in this territory?s hands, there is a fantastic opportunity for growth. I am confident that I have put the best team and structure in place to deliver this growth in the areas that have the most potential - content, brands and digital - with a strong strategic and visionary team behind it."

MUMBAI: British public broadcaster BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide is to launch a premium BBC channel on Foxtel in Australia as an ad free medium to focus on British drama and comedy.

This new multi-platform deal will attempt to be as close to the transmission in United Kingdom as possible.

This is a key move in the BBC?s global strategy to build its brand in markets outside the UK. The Foxtel platform offers an opportunity for the BBC to create a direct relationship with Australian audiences.

Launching as part of the Foxtel Drama and Lifestyle package in mid 2014, the channel will feature quality first-run programming from the BBC and other great British producers, which will not be available on terrestrial television for at least 12 months.

One title already confirmed for the launch is the spectacular 10-part drama series ?The Musketeers?, which is Adrian Hodges? fresh and contemporary take on Alexandre Dumas? characters from the novel ?The Three Musketeers?.

The deal will also see the four existing BBC channels ? UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News ? continuing on the Foxtel platform.

All five channels will be available on Foxtel GO and the premiere channel will be available in high definition, alongside UKTV and BBC Knowledge. Extensive BBC content will be available on demand at no extra charge and subscribers to the channels will be able to go back in time using the Foxtel EPG to watch or record programmes they have missed.

In addition, the deal offers Foxtel a first-look at all BBC Worldwide Lifestyle programming. This content will also be available on Foxtel Go and on demand and using the EPG catch up functionality.

BBC Worldwide Australasia MD Jon Penn said, ?This deal represents a strategic opportunity for BBC Worldwide to further expand our opportunities to showcase outstanding British creativity in Australia. We have a strong relationship with Foxtel and their viewers through our existing four channels, and were delighted to be given the chance to launch a premium channel that could offer the best BBC and British premiere television shortly after UK transmission. We are confident that we will also continue to have productive relationships with our other valued partners in the FTA, STV and digital markets.?

Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein said, ?The BBC is one of the great television brands: its content across so many genres is loved and admired by millions of viewers all over the world. By strengthening our relationship with the BBC we will greatly enhance the viewing experience we offer our subscribers, with even more high quality content that can only be seen on the Foxtel platform and which we show as soon as possible after its original broadcast. Plus we offer the superior quality of high definition and the fantastic convenience of Foxtel Go.?

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has announced its latest co-production agreement with CCTV9 at MipTV, on ?Hidden Kingdoms?, the forthcoming series from the BBC?s Natural History Unit. The Chinese state broadcaster?s documentary channel had agreed its first ever co-production deals with BBC Worldwide last year, on science series ?Wonders of Life? and ?Generation Earth? and later on natural history title ?Africa?.

Billed as ?Pixar meets Life?, ?Hidden Kingdoms? is the untold story of the natural world?s most fascinating diminutive characters. From chipmunks in North America, to giant rhinoceros beetles in Tokyo and sengi in East Africa, the series looks at the challenges faced by the natural world?s mini-heroes.

BBC Worldwide president, global markets Paul Dempsey said, "We?re really excited about this groundbreaking new series from the NHU, and pleased to be working with CCTV9 once again. The support of CCTV9 on Hidden Kingdoms guarantees it a huge audience in China, and helps the NHU to create a memorable series that will resonate with viewers all around the world."

CCTV9 channel director Liu Wen commented, "The BBC?s Natural History Unit is renowned as a world-leader in its field, so we?re very happy to be taking this new title to viewers in China. It?s a unique project that brings something completely new to the genre, and we can?t wait to see the finished series."

BBC Worldwide has previously brokered a co-production for ?Wild China? (known in China as ?Beautiful China?), between the BBC?s Natural History Unit and CTV, a production company under CCTV. The series, distributed by BBC Worldwide, has been licensed to over 160 territories around the world.

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of UK pubcaster the BBC, has agreed to sell the travel guide business Lonely Planet to NC2 Media, following approval from the BBC Trust.

The move follows the BBC?s commercial review last year which set out the company?s strategy to focus on BBC brands and promote the best of the corporation?s output globally.

BBC Worldwide will receive ?51.5 million with ?41.2 million paid on completion and ?10.3 million paid in one year?s time.

BBC Worldwide interim CEO Paul Dempsey said, ?We acquired Lonely Planet in 2007 when both our strategy and the market conditions were quite different. Since then, Lonely Planet has increased its presence in digital, magazine publishing and emerging markets whilst also growing its global market share, despite difficult economic conditions. However, we have also recognised that it no longer fits with our plans to put BBC brands at the heart of our business and have decided to sell the company to NC2 Media who are better placed to build and invest in the business."

Lonely Planet is a travel publisher and has printed approximately 120 million books in 11 different languages. Lonely Planet?s magazine franchise has expanded beyond the first UK edition to 14 international editions.

However, Lonely Planet?s financial performance has been impacted in recent years by the continued strength of the Australian dollar, the rapid consolidation of the publishing industry and a global recession which affected leisure travel.

BBC Worldwide has been exploring strategic options for Lonely Planet over the last year and was keen to find a new owner that could bring greater focus and capital to the business. NC2 Media demonstrated a commitment to invest in Lonely Planet and today?s announcement concludes the process to find the right buyer.

NC2 Media is a US-based media company primarily engaged in the creation, acquisition, and distribution of quality digital content and the development of the technologies that make this possible. The company is poised to leverage the opportunities presented by the changing landscape within the industry. The business is headquartered in Nashville Tennessee, and led by Daniel Houghton, its executive director, who will take on additional responsibility at Lonely Planet as COO.

NC2 Media?s primary shareholder is Brad Kelley, an American businessman and Forbes 400 member. His historical business interests include consumer products and real estate and he was formerly the largest shareholder and board member in Churchill Downs. Kelley?s current business interests focus on media via NC2 Media and various technologies through VAON Technology Unit. He also pursues significant interests in land and wildlife conservation through the Kelley Conservation Foundation.

NC2 Media executive director Daniel Houghton commented, ?With this acquisition comes a global footprint, not only in the travel guide business, but also in magazine publishing and the digital space. We are very excited about this opportunity, and delighted to agree this deal with BBC Worldwide. The challenge and promise before us is to marry the world?s greatest travel information and guidebook company with the limitless potential of 21st century digital technology. If we can do this, and I believe we can, we can build a business that, while remaining true to the things that made Lonely Planet great in the past, promises to make it even greater in the future.?

The sale transaction will occur at the end of the current financial year 31 March, and Lonely Planet will continue to function as a global operation.

BBC Worldwide had acquired 75 per cent of Lonely Planet in 2007 for ?88.1 million and the remaining 25 per cent in 2011 for ?42.17 million, for a total consideration of ?130.2 million.

During the time BBC Worldwide has owned Lonely Planet, its annual revenue has grown from ?810 million in 2007 to ?1.08 billion in 2012 ? with profit increasing from ?111 million in 2007 to ?155 million in 2012.