BBC Worldwide cashing in on music archive

BBC Worldwide has appointed three executives in an effort to make better use of the corporation's huge music television archive.

Titles such as Top of the Pops and The Old Grey Whistle Test will help Worldwide in its role of bringing in commercial revenue.

Jon Mansfield, formerly Emap Music managing director, has been made head of content development; Stephen Davies has been brought in as head of digital ventures; and Salim Mukaddam has been promoted to head of commercial affairs.

Mansfield will work with television and radio staff, develop content for different platforms in the UK and internationally and seek further agreements and partners, artists and record labels.

Davies, who worked on BBC audiobooks before two years as an executive at TK Maxx, will work on commercial websites delivering music and speech content.

Mukaddam, previously responsible for legal and business affairs, will work on record label deals to open up the archive. He will also manage content sales, track licensing, branding, marketing and label and artist relations.

Paul Dempsey, BBC Worldwide's director of audio and music, said: "With access to an archive and existing content as unrivalled as the BBC's, including Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test, the Electric Proms and Radio 1's Live Lounge, to name but a few, we aim to fully and uniquely capitalise on the huge appetite for this kind of special content from consumers."