Dealmakers


STEVEMACALLISTER Managing director, global TV sales, BBC Worldwide


S CAREER


2007 Joins BBC Worldwide to run sales operation 2004 Becomes senior VP and managing director at Walt Disney Television International (WDTI) 2001 Becomes VP and regional head of sales for WDTI. Moves the Hong Kong-centric business to a fully integrated multi-function and client-focused distribution enterprise 1996 Various sales positions for WDTI in Hong Kong and London covering Asia Pacific, Northern Europe and Middle East markets 1993 Joins WDTI and plays a key role in establishing Disney as the first Hollywood studio to distribute programming on a barter basis in Central and Eastern Europe 1984-1993 Works in the UK media buying and planning sector for firms including Young & Rubicam, Lintas and CIA


teve Macallister is managing director of global TV sales at BBC Worldwide, the biggest dis-


tribution business outside of the US. In his first year at BBCW, he oversaw £213m worth of TV sales. In the last financial year, his division generated £260m in sales. It is now double the size of ITV’s distribution business; unthinkable a decade ago. A big part of that growth is down to


“investing in tent-pole shows that can rival the US studios. Brands like Top Gear, Doctor Who [pictured, below], Dancing With The Stars and BBC Earth [the umbrella brand for natural history content] have been doing fantastic international business for us,” he says. BBCW is expanding across the


board. “Asia and Eastern Europe are important emerging markets, but the growth of new digital platforms [including DTT channels] means more opportunities in established markets like the US and Western Europe.” A good indicator of BBCW’s ambi-


tion is the roll-out of trade event BBC Showcase into China and Latin America. “In China, we met 150 buyers, of which a third were in broad- band and mobile. Right now, we’re doing £5m worth a year of business in Greater China, but I see the market as having a lot of potential for companies like ours that have put the effort into building relationships there. A key breakthrough for us was a co-pro with CCTV9 on the series Wild China.”


Moving north Back home, Macallister is upbeat about Showcase’s migration from Brighton to Liverpool this year. “We needed a bigger venue and the Arena and Convention Centre in Liverpool won through our pro- curement process. We’re sad to leave Brighton but Liverpool is an iconic city that buyers will love, while also giving extra capacity.” A decade ago,


BBCW looked hard at whether it made sense to run its own in-house event. But Macallister is in no doubt of Show- case’s value now: “It’s a real success


www.broadcastnow.co.uk


Misfits


‘I think we’re reaching a tipping point with


areas like on-demand’ Steve Macallister


story for British exports. Aside from £50m in sales, it’s a great opportunity for agents, indies, BBC producers and journalists to meet with buyers and co-producers from around the world.” Digital creeps into the conversation


repeatedly. “I think we’re reaching a tipping point with areas like on- demand,” he says. “That’s great for a company with a catalogue the size of ours [40,000 hours]. We’ve a target of 10% revenues from digital this year. That’s challenging but achievable because of the growing pene- tration of the brand. We sold Misfits to Hulu in the US and the strong performance of that show is an encourag- ing sign.” Mac-


allister expects more activ- ity around Lonely


Planet, a property that has the potential to move up alongside the tent-poles already cited, once the brand makes its global debut on BBC Knowledge in November. There’s also more expansion in the indie sector. The most recent big story was that BBCW would represent all content out of the Ten Alps stable – indies like Brook Lapping, Blakeway, Below the Radar and Films of Record. He is also expecting more US-origi- nated shows to come on stream. “We had a good experience working


with Starz on the US version of Torch- wood,” says Macallister. “That has led to an expansion of our relationship. As new shows come through, we will dis- tribute them.” There are those who regard BBC


Worldwide’s muscle in the distribution market as giving it an unfair advan- tage. But it’s not a complaint that con- cerns Macallister, who spent 14 years at Walt Disney Television International before joining the company. “I don’t think criticisms of BBC


Worldwide are to do with our export of shows,” he says. “Our competition is global, so my focus is on closing the gap with the US studios. I think most people recognise that we have a key role to play in exporting British shows, whether that’s in-house BBC or independent content. When we sell shows such as Sherlock into markets like Russia, I like to think that opens the door for other British distributors to do the same.”


30 September 2011 | Broadcast | 41


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