Do you ever wonder how much the BBC spends on buying in films and TV shows for its platforms? 📺💰The BBC started life as the British Broadcasting Company on 18 October 1922. 📅Daily broadcasting began on 14 November 1922 with a simple news bulletin. 📻It became the British Broadcasting Corporation under Royal Charter on 1 January 1927. 🏛️In those early days everything was home grown. ✨Live studio performances, talks, music and later live television from Alexandra... Read more
Do you ever wonder how much the BBC spends on buying in films and TV shows for its platforms? 📺💰
The BBC started life as the British Broadcasting Company on 18 October 1922. 📅
Daily broadcasting began on 14 November 1922 with a simple news bulletin. 📻
It became the British Broadcasting Corporation under Royal Charter on 1 January 1927. 🏛️
In those early days everything was home grown. ✨
Live studio performances, talks, music and later live television from Alexandra Palace. 🎭
Technology of the time made recording and importing finished programmes almost impossible. Film stock was costly, transmission was live only, and international distribution barely existed. The BBC created nearly all its output in house. That was the only practical option. 🛠️
The first feature film the BBC transmitted was the American western The Last of the Clintons on 23 August 1937. 🤠 That marked the quiet beginning of bought in content. 📽️
Fast forward to today. ⏩
Total content spend sits around £3.089 billion a year. 💷
Most pays or original British drama, comedy, news, sport and children’s programmes. 🎬🎭📰⚽👧
But 5 percent of the BBC content budget goes on movies and bought in TV shows. 🌍
The BBC justifies this by saying they attract viewers who then discover home grown shows on iPlayer. 📲
Yet most movies on BBC channels and iPlayer are years or even decades old. 🕰️ Streaming services secure first rights to the hottest American comedies and dramas. 🔥
Whenever I see US movies or TV shows on iPlayer they are things I’ve already paid for on other streaming platforms. And it doesn’t feel like good value. 😔
Gone are the days when entire families would look forward to which movies would be shown over Christmas or Easter. 🎄🐣
Home grown hits regularly deliver the biggest audiences. 📈 Shows like The Traitors, Blue Lights and major sports events pull millions. 🏆
Bought in titles can perform well but rarely match the cultural impact or consistent viewing figures of original British productions. 🇬🇧
So is this a valid use of the licence fee? 🤔
Critics ask why public money should compete for overseas shows when commercial channels could take them.
Should the BBC continue buying in content at all, or focus even more tightly on original UK work? ⚖️
The BBC claims it remains a key supporter of British storytelling and invests more in original UK content than any other organisation. It aims to connect communities, support talent across the UK and deliver news and moments that bring people together. That mission keeps many of us watching. 🌟
What do you think? Is the current balance right? Should the BBC buy fewer foreign shows and movies? Or should they buy any?
Please share your views. 💬
The BBC started life as the British Broadcasting Company on 18 October 1922. 📅
Daily broadcasting began on 14 November 1922 with a simple news bulletin. 📻
It became the British Broadcasting Corporation under Royal Charter on 1 January 1927. 🏛️
In those early days everything was home grown. ✨
Live studio performances, talks, music and later live television from Alexandra Palace. 🎭
Technology of the time made recording and importing finished programmes almost impossible. Film stock was costly, transmission was live only, and international distribution barely existed. The BBC created nearly all its output in house. That was the only practical option. 🛠️
The first feature film the BBC transmitted was the American western The Last of the Clintons on 23 August 1937. 🤠 That marked the quiet beginning of bought in content. 📽️
Fast forward to today. ⏩
Total content spend sits around £3.089 billion a year. 💷
Most pays or original British drama, comedy, news, sport and children’s programmes. 🎬🎭📰⚽👧
But 5 percent of the BBC content budget goes on movies and bought in TV shows. 🌍
The BBC justifies this by saying they attract viewers who then discover home grown shows on iPlayer. 📲
Yet most movies on BBC channels and iPlayer are years or even decades old. 🕰️ Streaming services secure first rights to the hottest American comedies and dramas. 🔥
Whenever I see US movies or TV shows on iPlayer they are things I’ve already paid for on other streaming platforms. And it doesn’t feel like good value. 😔
Gone are the days when entire families would look forward to which movies would be shown over Christmas or Easter. 🎄🐣
Home grown hits regularly deliver the biggest audiences. 📈 Shows like The Traitors, Blue Lights and major sports events pull millions. 🏆
Bought in titles can perform well but rarely match the cultural impact or consistent viewing figures of original British productions. 🇬🇧
So is this a valid use of the licence fee? 🤔
Critics ask why public money should compete for overseas shows when commercial channels could take them.
Should the BBC continue buying in content at all, or focus even more tightly on original UK work? ⚖️
The BBC claims it remains a key supporter of British storytelling and invests more in original UK content than any other organisation. It aims to connect communities, support talent across the UK and deliver news and moments that bring people together. That mission keeps many of us watching. 🌟
What do you think? Is the current balance right? Should the BBC buy fewer foreign shows and movies? Or should they buy any?
Please share your views. 💬
