BBC Worldwide Explores Live Programming
By Kate Bulkley
For MIPTV April 02, 2012
New shows include "Planet Earth Live," which will be shown in markets in Asia to Latin America, but not in the U.S.
BBC Worldwide is leveraging its global network of channels to bring selected programs to audiences around the world live or near-live, including “best of British” programming called London Calling and Planet Earth Live, an “animal soap opera” that will air in markets form Asia to Latin America live, but excluding the U.S.
The concept of “synchronized broadcasts” around the world was first explored with the royal wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Now the BBC has decided to make more of its programming available in this way and is using the upcoming Queen’s Jubilee celebration as a cornerstone of the London Calling season of globally live progamming. “It’s making the sum of the parts greater and using the global set of networks we have and seeing them come of age,” president of BBC Worldwide Network and BBC iPlayer Jana Bennett told THR.
Bennett unveiled the projects at a cocktail hour event at MIPTV and said they were meant to “unite viewers around the world and give them an appointment to view.” Live international programming like this is made feasible by the BBC's 42 channels of programming that reach 300 million homes across 100 countries around the world.