ITV Boss Proposes Controversial Joint Venture With BBC

ITV chief executive Charles Allen has put forward a controversial proposal that would see ITV form a joint venture with the BBC to sell their most popular television programmes oversees.

Allen told the Commons Select Committee on Culture Media and Sport that the two companies could team-up to sell programmes internationally if BBC Worldwide, the Corporation’s oversees arm, were privatised.

According to a report in the Financial Times, he said: “I think all of the BBC’s commercial activities should be privatised to have a better divide between public service and commercial activities.”

Allen claims a sell-off could pave the way for the creation of a joint venture company to co-ordinate international sales of programmes not just from the BBC and ITV, but also from commercial rivals, Channel 4 and Five.

Last year the total export sales of British programming rose by 22% to top £490 million. Allen explained: “If BBC Worldwide was privatised the bigger picture would be putting together all of the UK’s content in a joint venture to sell internationally.”

In a wide-ranging submission to the select committee, ITV also called for media-regulator Ofcom to be given full responsibility for the BBC. The broadcaster said: “Passing this role to Ofcom would make more sense than yet another half-hearted attempt at creating an artificial distance between the governors and the BBC management.”

ITV’s submission formed part of the select committee’s review of the BBC’s royal charter, which expires in 2006. The committee’s report could influence a wider Government review of the way the BBC is funded.

Earlier this year, research examining the BBC’s role following the Hutton enquiry revealed that just 31% of the British public support the continuation of the BBC’s annual £116 licence fee in its current form. A further 70% of respondent want to see fundamental changes to the way the Corporation is governed (see UK Viewers Call For Change In Way BBC Is Funded).

ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com

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