The Content Acquisitions department is a busy, multi-skilled group of eight. We keep our fingers on the pulse of programming trends around the world, tracking down hot shows and negotiating the deals to acquire them for the UKTV network of 10 channels.

Over 90% of the programming played across the entire network is acquired rather than commissioned. It comes to us via two key programming sources - the BBC Programme Supply Level Agreement (PLA) – and what we call Third Party Acquisitions.

Guaranteeing the acquisition of BBC in-house programming and some BBC commissioned shows produced by independent producers, the PLA is an agreement with BBC Worldwide on which the UKTV joint venture was originally founded and forms the spine of our business. These programmes make up 55% of our schedules and span a wide variety of different genres - everything from Only Fools and Horses to Planet Earth via QI. The variety is mind-boggling!

Third Party Acquisitions form up to 35% of our schedules and are acquired from many different sources across the UK and around the world. From pre-buys from small, European history television producers, to co-productions from drama companies, right through to finished shows from comedy producers and movies from the Hollywood studios. All genres, all projects considered!