Worldwide: the history of the commercial arm of the BBC (2010-2012)
Abstract
State funded public service broadcasters run commercial arms in order to supplement their public income, but the history of these is unknown. This project will discover the origins and development of these operations by focusing on the world's largest public service broadcaster and its commercial subsidiary, BBC Worldwide. It will use the detailed analysis of archival records to produce a deeper historical understanding of how the BBC incorporated commercial activities in order to thrive. This will contribute to contemporary debates about the nature and funding of digital public service media.
