BBC Worldwide plans 30 new channels

BBC Worldwide is to launch 30 new channels and an international HDTV service, it has announced.

They will be rolled out over two years from April and take the group's global total to nearly 70 channels.

They will be grouped into entertainment, knowledge, lifestyle and CBeebies sections along with a mixed-genre high definition offering.

Content will include BBC staples and locally produced programming.

It is hoped the expansion will help the corporation's commercial arm meet its targeting of doubling profits in five years.

But managing director of channels Darren Childs said Worldwide was keen to grow regardless: "There is not a market we are not looking at.

"We are not doing expat channels any more. It will take us three to five years to take us to the scale of our competitors, but I am confident we can do it.

"We are taking on the big American channel providers and there isn't another UK competitor who can."

Another 21 BBC Worldwide channels are already due to be launched before the new year.

The US is a key target for expansion where BBC America is already established. Rollout is also planned in Europe, Malaysia, the Philippines, Latin America and Africa. The high definition service will go to more developed markets such as Japan.