The BBC has announced it will commit an additional 25 million pounds (about $40.8 million) to original children’s programming over the next three years.
How the extra money ‘ raised from recent efficiency savings ‘ will be spent has yet to be worked out. But the BBC said it wanted to strengthen its role as “the cornerstone of home-produced children’s output in the U.K.”
Jana Bennett, director of BBC Vision, said the funding followed the recommendation of the BBC Trust, which urged the public broadcaster to make original children’s programs a priority.
The move was welcome news to Pact, a trade body for independent producers. ‘BBC children’s has been one of the genres that has embraced the Window of Creative Competition, enabling external suppliers to compete for commissions on a fairer basis, and we welcome the fact that this funding will be available to in-house and independent producers,’ said John McVay, chief executive for Pact.
