Australian-Media.com.au News

• BBC dumps Neighbours

  May 18 2007 11:18pm (UTC+8)  -  Article by Pun

  The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will drop long time running Australian drama 'Neighbours' from it's 2008 schedule, after backing down in a bidding war saying that the shows distributors were asking for far too much money.
  
  The Aussie drama shown on BBC One regularly wins its daytime slot, rating around 5.6 million a day, and has been shown on the network since 1986.
  
  Fremantle Media, the distributor of Neighbours has been upping the price during negotiations between broadcasters Five, and ITV who were both showing interest.
  
  "We were asked to pay a price that the BBC couldn't pay, BBC One controller Peter Fincham said today.
  
  "We're paying public money, (television) licence-payers' money.
  
  "We were being asked to pay the best part of £300 million pounds ($721.33 million) over an eight year period."
  
  Fincham later added that British Neighbours fans wont miss out; it's almost certain another broadcaster will now pounce on the deal.
  
  The last BBC screening will be in March or April next year.
  
  Australian-Media.com.au