BBC Broadcast buys BBC TV listings guide

Soon-to-be-sold BBC Broadcast has bought BBC Worldwide's£4.8m electronic TV programme listings business, writesRick Dacey.

The deal for Broadcast DataServices (BDS), which supplies data on 400 European channels in 14 languages to companies such as Microsoft, UPC and Sony, was finalised on Monday (13 June). The information is used to help create electronic programme guides.

The sale of BDS follows the BBC's internal review, which found that BBC Worldwide should focus on exploiting the corporation's brand rather than secondary businesses such as BDS. The deal was conducted internally and the price paid was not disclosed.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "It was not a tender process. Other companies have expressed an interest in acquiring BDS, but BBC Worldwide decided to look at internal options."

BDS will transfer to BBC Broadcast this summer.