Memorandum submitted by Baby Cow Productions
Ltd
I wanted to give evidence regarding BBC Worldwide's
business dealing with my TV company Baby Cow Productions Ltd.
We are based in London and Manchester and make TV comedy programs
mostly for the BBC. I set up the company with the comic actor
Steve Coogan nine years ago and we were helped by a two year first
look deal from the BBC that guaranteed a level of production activity.
The BBC extended the arrangement for a further two years and since
then we have operated independently as a production company working
in TV, Film and Radio. Steve and I had not made a program when
we set up Baby Cow and it was a leap of faith for the BBC to back
us.
Similarly, we owe a great deal to BBC Worldwide
who backed us from the start allowing us to gain valuable funds
and distribution experience on world sales and the DVD market.
Even from the first program their terms of trade have proved to
be fair and equitable. We were in a very vulnerable position when
we began and it would have been easy for someone to exploit that
but we were lucky enough to work with people at BBCW (and in more
recent times with 2Entertain as well on DVD). It is difficult
to start up and to survive as a TV producer, more so in scripted
comedy. I do believe that without the BBC backing and BBC worldwide
we could not have built a company. We now employ 14 staff and
our turnover last year was over ten million pounds. We have won
many awards and I believe most people in the industry would consider
us an asset to the TV landscape.
In recent years we have pioneered ways of exploiting
Comedy TV content and have found BBC Worldwide ahead of the competition
in exploring the opportunities that the Internet can now offer.
BBC Worldwide have always shown us great respect for the creative
integrity of our shows and this becomes more and more important
as we move into increasingly diverse global markets.
Over the past two years we have been looking
at investment into Baby Cow and have been in discussions with
several UK and US producers and Distributors. We recently signed
a short form agreement with BBC Worldwide for them to acquire
25% of Baby Cow. I wanted the Committee to be aware that we found
BBC Worldwide to be the best creative option and that we felt
very secure in entrusting our futures to a closer relationship
with them. The financial terms were not the most advantageous
on offer and it is a tribute to BBC Worldwide that we choose to
work with them due to the very good relationship we have achieved
and the loyalty and goodwill they have inspired.
I hope this helps put a bit of background and
context to any mention of BBC Worldwide's involvement with Baby
Cow Production and the recently announced investment.
October 2008
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