Quibi Inks Deal With BBC for Daily International News Show
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Quibi, the short-form mobile TV and tech startup led by Jeffrey Katzenberg, announced a deal with the BBC to produce daily international news programming.
Earlier this summer, Quibi announced a similar pact with NBC News, for two daily shows. The announcement of the deal with BBC Global News comes after word of the departure of Janice Min, the content exec who had been leading Quibi’s curated daily news and information programming called Daily Essentials.
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Quibi (short for “quick bites”) set a April 6, 2020, launch date for its service, with shows delivered in sub-10-minute episodes, and is targeting around 7,000 episodes in the first year. The company plans to charge $5 monthly for a version with ads and $8 for an ad-free tier.
Under the pact, BBC Global News will become the international news producer for Quibi’s Daily Essentials. Its show for Quibi will be shot at the BBC’s central London headquarters five days a week. Each episode will be about 5 minutes long, designed for Quibi’s mobile-targeted service.
“BBC News is one of the most respected news brands around the globe, and in particular for millennials in America today,” Katzenberg, founder and chairman of Quibi, said in a statement. “We’re proud to partner with them to create a daily international news report for Quibi.”
Added Jim Egan, CEO of BBC Global News, “Technology is changing constantly, as is the world at large and we’re delighted to be working with an innovative new player like Quibi to bring young audiences a daily made-for-mobile global news update of the highest quality from our unparalleled network of international correspondents and experts.”
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