Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos has accused the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of hampering the potential of locally produced children’s shows by its restrictive policy.
Sarandos criticised regulations meaning children’s programmes are held back for a half decade from American streaming service Netflix’s United Kingdom (UK)-base.
The BBC Worldwide policy gains extra income from licensing kids’ shows to video-on-demand (VOD) services, including Netflix.
The profit from the corporation’s commercial arm is then reinvested for the creation of locally produced material such as Teletubbies and In the Night Garden.
A disgruntled Sarandos said his company is obligated to invest in programmes from the US to reach its UK market of more than two million users.
Sarandos told The Guardian: “[The BBC] do some things that are very negative for consumers.”
He feels a change in the policy will enable Netflix to pay license fees themselves, make more programming and improve on the BBC’s offering of services and products to the public.
He added: “What is amazing is we have the ability to give an even larger global footprint to BBC content, but I don’t want to sit behind that big blackout window like they hold back programming from the BBC before it comes to Netflix, up to five years for kids’ programming.”
Calling the BBC’s policy “non-competitive”, Sarandos counts the strict system a “huge mistake”.
He explains the holding back of children’s material becomes an issue of streaming outdated programs.
Acknowledging the policy implications, the BBC defended its supply of popular series such as Charlie & Lola and The Sarah Jane Adventures.
BBC Worldwide spokesperson said: “BBC Worldwide has a longstanding and collaborative relationship with Netflix which we look forward to continuing.”
They added: “We look forward to offering more high-quality children’s content to video-on-demand and subscription video-on-demand suppliers where we can.”
The BBC’s windowing policy makes children’s programs available to UK licence fee payers through CBeebies and CBBC channels before allowing access to commercial VOD services.
