BBC Trust approves new BBCW strategy

The BBC Trust has approved a new strategy for BBC Worldwide that will see the corporation's commercial arm become a more "internationally facing business".

The strategy, which follows an 18-month review of the BBC's commercial activity concluded in November 2009, sets three fundamental principles governing the way Worldwide operates.

Worldwide must always "safeguard the value derived from its intellectual property", while also exploiting BBC formats on behalf of licence fee payers. However, it must ensure that commercial activity does not "damage the core brand and reputation of the BBC, either at home or abroad".

The Trust has further approved a series of changes to Worldwide's future remit, starting with a focus on being a "more internationally facing business".

The BBC's governing body has put an end to mergers and acquisitions by Worldwide, such as the controversial deal for travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, unless there are "exceptional circumstances".

Worldwide must make an exit from "any activity that is not in keeping with the BBC brand", and look to divest stakes in non-BBC branded international channels where it makes commercial sense, such as last year's $156 million (£97.1m) sale of its 50% stake in a global TV channels joint venture with Discovery.

The organisation is also currently in the process of selling the BBC Magazines business, publisher of 34 titles including Top Gear, Radio Times and Good Food.

Worldwide is a hugely successful business for the BBC, delivering record revenue of £1.07 billion in the year ending March 2010, generating profits of £145.2m. The division has returned around £470m in dividends and programme investment to the BBC over the last three years.