Variety.com reported today that BBC Worldwide plans “to bow more TV channels in the U.S. in the next 12 months” in an effort to bring more of their revenue from non-UK sources.
The new channel would join the current BBC America cable channel, which is owned and operated by BBC Worldwide but is actually under the Discovery Channel umbrella. There is no word yet on what would be developed for the new channels, but it wouldn’t be hard to see the channels becoming much like the UK’s BBC2, BBC3, and BBC4, which specialize in ways like BBC3′s comedy bent and BBC4′s documentaries.
For the BBC, whose money woes continue to be a source of discussion all over the British press, BBC Worldwide is quite a bright light in the tunnel, with a record profit of more than £145 million last year and increased sales in six of their seven operating divisions. Just shy of 55 percent of BBC Worldwide’s sales are generated outside of the UK, and the company’s chief John Smith says the plan is for that to increase to 2/3 of the company’s revenue by 2012.
Unfortunately, the Americas were not part of the growth trend, and profits fell by 38.5 percent last year. However, if additional BBC channels are added to major cable carriers’ packages, this would be an opportunity to turn the tide. Also, Smith says BBC Worldwide plans to grow their digital offerings overseas. Whether that means more programmes available for download on iTunes, more shows being available on the upcoming Hulu Plus premium streaming service, or the much-requested-by-fans offering of a US-available BBC iPlayer, that remains to be seen.
And in completely unshocking news, Top Gear and Doctor Who are two of BBC Worldwide’s five most profitable programmes, along with Life, Planet Earth, and Being Erica.
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Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia was started to get us back to the UK for a trip and it did that in 2009. Now, the goal is for Anglotopia to make our dreams of traveling to the UK whenever we want a reality.
Your statement about Americans accepting British broadcasting seems to suggest our dislike or distaste for British drama entirely. I have a feeling BBC America will probably end at some point due to this reasoning.The second reason is far too many of us who do like the British programming have found more affordable methods for obtaining the programming.
It’s not difficult to see America’s lack of culture in the media and arts. The BBC is especially handicapped in this manner because of the language barrier. I know it sounds silly, but I can’t count the number of people that when I show them my favorite British drama, says “Oh that’s nice, it’s just hard to understand with their accent.” I don’t think our (as in Americans not Anglophiles) “ears” are as adapted to the multiple accents (Scottish, Welsh, Irish, British (variations of each too)) that the BBC commonly has on their programming. If it was strict “BBC English” then the U.S. would be more likely to adopt it, but as is, it’s unlikely to attract a larger viewer base. Of course the opposite is true as much American programming gets exported to the U.K. Maybe BBC big wigs don’t realize it? I know it’s now difficult for me to pick out a British accent because I’m so immersed in it now.
That said, the style of media that’s expected here in America seems to center more around the believability of the image. (Effects, sets, costumes) things which are very expensive. Our willing-suspension-of-disbelief, has become so unacceptant that if a show or movie looks fake we’re less likely to flock to it. The BBC’s re-use of cities, sets, film-locations, and actors would be difficult to swallow for most Americans. I believe this key factor may in fact require British programming to carry stronger emotional drama, which frankly I love. Americans want cars that turn into robots, not some man who sacrifices himself being buried for 200 years alive. We have Jesus for that fantasy stuff. Give us football, hot-dogs, and Jack-Bauer to capture and kill those socialist British bastards….
Sadly… I’m embarrassed to be American sometimes….
I would agree that as it stands now, there are not a ton of strong BBC first-run drama programmes to run on BBCA. However, there have been some in the past who have done very well on there, including Wire In The Blood, Survivors, MI:5 and Being Human (which I was surprised didn’t make the top 5 list, along with Torchwood.)
Knowing how difficult for it is even an American drama to get an extended run because of extra production costs (bigger casts, sets, effects, etc.) I can see where producing enough of one for the BBC to distribute internationally, where usually at least 12 eps are needed, would be tough with their current cash-strapped situation.
I don’t think BBC America itself will disappear completely in the end. I do believe that it will probably become focused solely on BBC Worldwide productions, which means more of that damned Dancing With The Stars and reality programming, which is dirt cheap, and as much Doctor Who as they can prise away from the BBC at their inflated fees. Then more specialized programming will be split off, like BBC3′s comedies. Possibly the dramas could go onto the equivalent of BBC2 America. And possibly this could mean the reintroduction of British soaps like EastEnders, which IMHO should have been on BBCA this whole time.
Incidentally, the BBC Trust spoke out yesterday also and instructed the BBC to show more “quality and ambition,” particularly in their daytime programming.
As far as Americans not accepting British television and the accents and lower production values, I don’t believe that’s entirely true. The BBC’s production values and set dressing may not equal those of most American networks, but on cable channels it’s not much different. As far as accents, unless you’re from California or went to a speech coach, you’ve got one and you hear them. Those are just excuses that people trot out when they’re justifying watching Jersey Shore instead of Gavin & Stacey.
I may be biased because, like you, I no longer hear the accents. But I have faith that those who care for quality writing and storylines find British TV on their own. I’ve met too many people who have no care for British culture who have.
And for another perspective on what Americans like about British telly (which agrees partly with you and partly with me), I offer Charlie Brooker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgwKU54rO0U.