BBC Resources Sees Revenue Fall

Income from the BBC commercial subsidiary BBC Resources fell from £126 million to £122 million last year, according to a report.

The commercial subsidiary failed to reach overall targets for the year and suffered a fall in trading profit from £5 million to £2.3 million for the 12 months to March 31 2008, said a report on MediaGuardian.co.uk.

Full-year income for the BBC Resources studios business, which includes Television Centre in west London and Elstree, was £45.2 million, according to an internal memo seen by MediaGuardian.co.uk.

The report said that the trading profit for the studios business for the year to March 31 was £2.9 million, £400,000 ahead of target.

The corporation appointed advisers for the sale of BBC Resources nearly two years ago, with the intention of raising a reported £150 million.

However, potential buyers are reportedly being put off by pension liabilities and uncertainty about guaranteed work from the BBC.

Official figures for BBC Resources will be unveiled when the BBC publishes its annual report at the beginning of next month.

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