BBCWW flies with Greenbird

BBC Worldwide (BBCWW) has taken a 30% stake in Greenbird Media, the UK-based company that provides commercial support for fledgling indies.

Greenbird was founded in 2012 by Jamie Munro, who previously headed up Shine TV, and ex-Argonon exec Stuart Mullin. It invests in and develops the commercial side of production outfits, leaving prodco execs to focus on creative.

The firm holds stakes in nine production firms including factual prodco Rumpus Media, Wendy Rattray’s Hello Halo and Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions, which is behind Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle.

The deal, revealed by UK trade Broadcast, expands on BBCWW’s previous agreement with Greenbird, which saw the UK pubcaster’s commercial arm gain a first look at shows from Greenbird producers.

A BBCWW spokeswoman told C21 the arrangement was a “formal fulfilment of the long-standing relationship we have with Jamie and Stuart” and confirmed that the deal only covers Greenbird, not the producers it is working with.

BBCWW has been increasing its investments over the past 18 months, taking stakes in firms such as Lookout Point, which is behind Ripper Street, and Jo Sergeant’s King Bert Productions, among numerous others.