BBC Worldwide Music, part of the commercial arm of the publicly funded U.K. broadcaster, will be the exclusive television and radio distributor for this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
While the BBC has broadcast the festival in the U.K. since 1997, this deal means BBC Worldwide can sell the live footage to TV broadcasters around the world for the first time.
“In this momentous year, as Glastonbury celebrates its 40th anniversary, BBC Worldwide is proud and privileged to be able to bring the much celebrated BBC coverage to a global stage,” said Jon Mansfield, head of content development for BBC Worldwide Music, in a statement.
“A Glastonbury performance is one of the most prestigious moments in many Artists careers and frequently results in truly historic performances. Glastonbury 2010, with headliners including U2, Muse and Jack Johnson promises an exceptional year. BBCW Music are honored to play a part in bringing those extraordinary moments to what we believe, through our substantial TV distribution network, will potentially be the festival’s biggest global audience ever.”
BBCW Audio & Music have held the radio rights to broadcast the festival since 1985 and in this time have licensed the performances across 40 territories worldwide reaching an average of 40 million listeners.
Glastonbury Festival will be staged in Pilton, Somerset on June 23-27.
