BBC Worldwide Music, a division of the publicly funded U.K. broadcaster’s commercial arm, has secured international television distribution rights for national Top 40 station Radio 1’s ‘Big Weekend’ event.
It will offer international broadcasters the opportunity to acquire over 10 hours of performances from acts including Lily Allen, Kasabian, Ne-Yo and Snow Patrol.
Last year BBC Worldwide distributed a highlights program and single artist sets from four EMI artists via a framework deal with the major. For the 2009 event, BBC Worldwide has been granted international sales rights from almost every artist and every record label involved in the festival.
The ‘Big Weekend,’ first held in Manchester in 2003, took place this year at Lydiard Park, Swindon on May 9-10 and attracted more than 40,000 to the free event, for which fans had to apply for tickets.
“I’m delighted that for the first time we are able to bring almost all of the outstanding performances from Radio 1’s ‘Big Weekend’ to a global audience,” said Salim Mukaddam, head of commercial affairs, BBC Worldwide Music, in a statement.
“Only 20,000 people from the U.K. are able to attend the event each day, but we are now able to bring a taste of the event to viewers all over the world. This is the first major festival of the year so in many territories these programs will set the musical tone for the summer. The fact that we’ve been able to bring this content to market is another sign of the success of our music television strategy.”
As well as a 60-minute highlights show, BBC Worldwide will also initially make single artist performances available from Snow Patrol, Basement Jaxx, the Enemy, Ne-Yo, Akon, the Script, Lily Allen, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Doves, Wombats, Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal and Maximo Park.
