MUMBAI: British public broadcaster BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide is to launch a premium BBC channel on Foxtel in Australia as an ad free medium to focus on British drama and comedy.

This new multi-platform deal will attempt to be as close to the transmission in United Kingdom as possible.

This is a key move in the BBC?s global strategy to build its brand in markets outside the UK. The Foxtel platform offers an opportunity for the BBC to create a direct relationship with Australian audiences.

Launching as part of the Foxtel Drama and Lifestyle package in mid 2014, the channel will feature quality first-run programming from the BBC and other great British producers, which will not be available on terrestrial television for at least 12 months.

One title already confirmed for the launch is the spectacular 10-part drama series ?The Musketeers?, which is Adrian Hodges? fresh and contemporary take on Alexandre Dumas? characters from the novel ?The Three Musketeers?.

The deal will also see the four existing BBC channels ? UKTV, BBC Knowledge, CBeebies and BBC World News ? continuing on the Foxtel platform.

All five channels will be available on Foxtel GO and the premiere channel will be available in high definition, alongside UKTV and BBC Knowledge. Extensive BBC content will be available on demand at no extra charge and subscribers to the channels will be able to go back in time using the Foxtel EPG to watch or record programmes they have missed.

In addition, the deal offers Foxtel a first-look at all BBC Worldwide Lifestyle programming. This content will also be available on Foxtel Go and on demand and using the EPG catch up functionality.

BBC Worldwide Australasia MD Jon Penn said, ?This deal represents a strategic opportunity for BBC Worldwide to further expand our opportunities to showcase outstanding British creativity in Australia. We have a strong relationship with Foxtel and their viewers through our existing four channels, and were delighted to be given the chance to launch a premium channel that could offer the best BBC and British premiere television shortly after UK transmission. We are confident that we will also continue to have productive relationships with our other valued partners in the FTA, STV and digital markets.?

Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein said, ?The BBC is one of the great television brands: its content across so many genres is loved and admired by millions of viewers all over the world. By strengthening our relationship with the BBC we will greatly enhance the viewing experience we offer our subscribers, with even more high quality content that can only be seen on the Foxtel platform and which we show as soon as possible after its original broadcast. Plus we offer the superior quality of high definition and the fantastic convenience of Foxtel Go.?

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC?s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has announced that Jon Penn, currently FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO Asia Pacific, is to take up the new role of BBC Worldwide Australasia MD in April.

Penn succeeds former GM Tony Iffland and interim leader Blair McQuade, but will see his responsibilities broadened to include ownership of the region?s P&L under BBC Worldwide?s new Balanced Regionalisation plans, which aims to significantly increase revenue in the territory within the next five years. He will report directly to BBC Worldwide?s President of the UK, Australasia Marcus Arthur, who is based in London.

Also being announced today is BBC Worldwide Australasia?s interim GM Blair McQuade?s appointment as chief commercial officer for Australasia, a new role supporting Jon, which will see him take responsibility for the commercial activities across the business.

BBC Worldwide adds that Australia and New Zealand are hugely important markets for it and both have seen growth over the last five years, across all five areas of business: channels; sales and distribution; content and production; consumer products; and global brands. BBC Worldwide?s strategic aim to increase its regional focus, which will begin on 2 April next, will enable the company to maximise growth across all platforms in the local market.

In 2011/12, BBC Worldwide Australasia increased revenue by nine per cent on the previous year, generating $140 million. Recent new business success stories include the launch of the global BBC iPlayer pilot in Australia, where it is the most successful territory, and the growth of live events, with 100,000 people expected to attend one of five live events in the year.

Penn founded FremantleMedia Enterprises? brand licensing and interactive media division in Australia in 2001 and his responsibilities later expanded to include the rest of Asia Pacific. He was particularly instrumental in turning MasterChef Australia into a multi-million dollar, multi-platform brand over three years and his career has seen him launch new business enterprises across both traditional and digital media platforms, delivering overall revenue growth for FremantleMedia Enterprises in the Asia Pacific region.

Promoted to CEO FremantleMedia Enterprises Asia Pacific in 2009, he added TV distribution, home entertainment and live events to his responsibilities and led the team who has built multi-platform brand franchises out of The X Factor, QI, Grand Designs and Merlin, amongst many marquee TV properties.

Prior to FremantleMedia Enterprises, Penn worked for Fairfax Media?s digital division - Fairfax Digital - and has held a variety of sales, marketing and business development roles over his 22 year career.

Arthur said, "I?m really pleased that Jon has decided to take up our challenge as MD of Australasia, a role that will have increased responsibility in BBC Worldwide?s new organisational structure. His strategic influence across so many platforms, properties and brands at FremantleMedia is impressive, not least because of the outstanding commercial growth he?s drawn from them. I know he?s the right person to lead BBC Worldwide Australasia on to bigger and even better things as the region takes charge of its own P&L for the first time."

Penn said, "I?m thrilled to be given the opportunity to guide BBC Worldwide Australasia through such a pivotal point in its history. I have nothing but admiration for the business and I look forward to building upon the huge success already achieved by its talented workforce and building upon Blair?s brilliant leadership since Tony Iffland departed."

MUMBAI: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced the appointment of Gautam Talwar to the newly created role of vice president business development - Asia. His appointment is effective immediately.

Based in Singapore and reporting to FME Asia Pacific CEO Jon Penn, Talwar will be responsible for establishing FME?s regional business development office. He will work with the existing FME team to architect and execute a plan to expand FME?s licensing, distribution, home entertainment and live event businesses in Asia.

Penn said, "We are thrilled to announce the addition of Gautam?s expertise to the thriving FME team in Asia at a pivotal time of growth for the business. We look forward to his valuable contribution as a thought leader and project manager on new products, partnerships and ventures in the region.?

Talwar has held roles in Asia-Pacific and the United States during his career in business development. He joins FME from Disney Media Distribution Hong Kong where he was employed as director of business development and digital media and was responsible for identifying new business opportunities to build Disney?s media business across platforms in the region.

Prior to this he was employed at Disney Media Networks, Los Angeles as senior manager media networks strategy where he managed long term strategy initiatives for Disney Media Networks, including ABC, ABC Family and SOAPnet and Disney Channel. He has also worked at Walt Disney Television where he managed the start up and launch of Disney channels in India.