BBC names production proposal head

The BBC has revealed the executive who will head up proposals to transform its production division as part of plans for a “competition revolution.”

Anna Mallett, CEO of BBC Studios and post production, will take the lead in developing the proposals that were first outlined by BBC director Tony Hall in July.

Hall wants to tear up the BBC’s production quotas and start making shows for rival broadcasters to create an open market for programme making at the pubcaster.

Such a move could open up £400m (US$684m) worth of commissioning opportunities to the indie production sector, but BBC director of television Danny Cohen has also suggested that terms of trade could be changed as part of the proposals, a move blasted by UK indie association Pact.

Mallett, who has been asked to take up the role by Cohen and Anne Bulford, MD of BBC finance and operations, will explore the operating model and business plan for the proposal.

She will work alongside Mark Freeland, controller of fiction and entertainment, and Natalie Humphreys, controller of factual and daytime, who will lead the work in creative terms, supported by the strategy and business teams.

Mallett said her remit included defining “a set of proposals that will ensure BBC Production continues to thrive as a world class, multi-genre producer of the very best programmes.”

Under the basic terms of the proposal, BBC Production would no longer receive a 50% guarantee of production work from the BBC, but will for the first time be able to compete for commissions from other broadcasters both in the UK and globally.

Cohen said: “These proposals are designed to offer audiences the best possible ideas wherever they come from, whilst at the same time liberating BBC Production to work with a wider range of suppliers.

“We want to make sure we continue to offer viewers the highest quality programmes at the very best value for money for licence fee payers.”

Plans will be developed in the coming months and will be subject to regulatory approval, with further details on the proposals set to be announced in due course.