BBC and Bilibili Sign New Content and Production Deal to Bring More BBC to China

BBC Studios and Chinese video platform Bilibili signed a new deal on Monday to generate more China-inspired content and bring more BBC premium shows to China.

Bilibili, one of China’s largest online entertainment services platforms, announced a new multi-year strategic cooperation agreement with BBC Studios to enhance the platform’s premium BBC Studios content, taking their existing partnership to a new level by collaborating on BBC Studios-led productions.

As China-related stories become increasingly appealing to overseas markets, Chinese users also demand higher-quality and more diversified content. The Bilibili-BBC partnership is committed to developing better content for Chinese audiences and exporting the premium Chinese experience abroad.

The strengthened union between the two video platforms will accentuate the development of Chinese stories and include more Chinese voices. Several documentary programs about Chinese cultures and history are in preparation for production.

Under the enhanced framework, Bilibili will become a co-production partner in BBC Studios’ new factual titles in China, including the forthcoming BBC Studios landmark series The Green Planet and
The Mating Game.

Bilibili will also have access to more BBC Studios drama and comedy titles through the partnership, including exclusive VOD rights in China to BBC Studios’ new scripted fantasy show The Watch. Additional dramas and entertainment shows such as BBC’s greatest hits Top Gear and Doctor Who will become available on Bilibili as scripted content.

The two parties will also double down on science productions, shown in BBC Studios Science Unit’s newly commissioned science series, Odyssey into the Future, featuring Chinese sci-fi author Cixin Liu.

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Documentary is one of the most popular categories among Bilibili users. Bilibili’s video library contains more than 3,000 documentaries and it has produced and co-produced hundreds of titles, around which the video platform has built up a unique content ecosystem.

BBC Studios UK Production’s Managing Director Lisa Opie said BBC Studios’ excellent storytelling heritage, production craft and cutting-edge technology can help it play a significant role in developing further exciting stories for Bilibili, which cater to the Chinese market and also to the rest of the world.