&c1=usa&c2=(none)&c3=guardian.co.uk&c4=BBC,Television+industry+(Media),Radio+industry+(Media),Digital+media,Media&c5=&c6=Leigh+Holmwood&c7=2008_01_28){kind=small}
- guardian.co.uk,
- Monday January 28 2008 07:04 GMT
BBC Worldwide is to focus on developing the corporation's huge archive of music programming from Top of the Pops to The Old Grey Whistle Test as part of a five-year plan to boost profits.
The audio and music division of the BBC's commercial arm has made three new senior appointments as part of a strategy to "drive the exploitation of popular music and capitalise on the corporation's rich archive".
Jon Mansfield, the former managing director of Emap Music, has joined as head of content development. Stephen Davies, who previously oversaw audiobook digital deals for BBC Worldwide, becomes head of digital ventures; and Salim Mukaddam has been promoted to head of commercial affairs.
The trio of executives will be charged with making better use of the BBC music archive with activity ranging from constructing deals with record companies to creating and launching websites.
BBC Worldwide recently completed a £1.5m deal with Medici Arts to develop its classical music archive, while further contracts with record labels are expected to be signed over the next few months.
Mansfield will develop content for use on different platforms in the UK and internationally.
He will work closely with staff in the BBC's radio and TV services to "maximise the potential of audio and music content for commercial purposes", as well looking at new ways of packaging the archives.
Mansfield's brief also includes seeking agreements and partnerships with talent, record labels and agents to develop new opportunities.
Davies, who rejoins BBC Worldwide after a two-year hiatus steering business development at the retailer TK Maxx, will oversee the development and construction of new commercial consumer websites to deliver music and speech-based content around BBC output.
"Although based on archive material from stations such as BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2, Davies' commercial offerings will be distinct from anything available from the public service," a BBC Worldwide spokesman said.
Mukaddam, who for the past two years has been responsible for legal and business affairs, will focus on framework deals with record labels to open up the archive of music programming.
He will also manage content sales and track licensing business as well as taking responsibility for branding, marketing and label and artist relations.
The BBC Worldwide director of audio and music, Paul Dempsey, said the new structure would help deliver on an "ambitious, but thoroughly realistic" commercial growth strategy for the business.
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